NAFL BORDER CUP
ARDS RANGERS 5
KILLYLEAGH YC 2
By Dessie Adams
ARDS Rangers maintained their 100 per cent winning record this season with a 5-2 victory over local side Killyleagh YC in the second round of the Border Regiment Cup at Drome Park on Saturday.
It didn’t take long for the in-form Rangers to open the scoring. A fabulous ball by Jordan Lucas after 10 minutes unleashed Reece Ritchie and his delightful first touch sent him bearing down on goal before slotting the ball through the goalkeeper’s legs to make it 1-0.
Rangers doubled their lead 13 minutes later with Gary Watson this time feeding Ritchie and, as he looked certain to score a second, he instead placed it on a plate for James Sofley to tap home for 2-0.
On the brink of half-time Killyleagh pulled one back through Keegan Rice and, after a poor start to the second half by Rangers, the visitors scored again from another free-kick to bring the scores level.
Rangers reacted immediately and two minutes later restored their lead when captain Lewis Roy’s long throw was met by Scott Spiers; his flick-on was headed towards goal by Sofley but he was denied by ’keeper Carberry, only for the ball to land at the feet of the devastating Ritchie to finish for 3-2.
It was plain sailing from there as the home team grabbed a fourth with 15 minutes to go, this time through Matthew Lee who danced past three Killyleagh players before smashing the ball into the top corner. Three minutes later Ritchie finished the game off and completed the scoring to make it five-nil, netting his third hat-trick of the season.
Other results
Junior Shield R1: Lower Shankill 1-2 Ards Rangers II (AET) (Owen Phillips, Ben Hollinger)
DAWFL Premier: Cooke Athletic 1-6 Ards Rangers III (Philip Simpson Sen) 2, Jamie Hewitt 2, Josh Creaney, Josh Finlay)
DAWFL Reserve 2: Ards Rangers IV 1-3 Millisle II (Regan Gray)
Fixtures
All games kick-off at 2pm
Steel & Sons Cup R4: Willowbank v Ards Rangers at Larne Academy of Sport
NAFL Division 3A: Woodvale II v Ards Rangers II at Clarendon Sports Facility
DAWFL Premier: Ards Rangers III v Castle Juniors at Drome Park
DAWFL Reserve 2: Corrymeela III v Ards Rangers IV at Cherryvale Playing Fields
