PLAYR-FIT CHAMPIONSHIP
ARDS 3
Ruddy (pen) 29’, Newell 75’, 84’
H&W WELDERS 1
Parkhouse 25’
Rory McKee at Clandeboye Park
ARDS recorded their first win since August 17 with substitute Lee Newell’s second-half double downing league leaders Harland and Wolff Welders on Saturday.
It was afternoon when the form book was ripped up as the east Belfast visitors saw their three-match winning run grind to a halt and the Red and Blues turned the tide on their own barron spell of results.
The Welders, who still occupy top spot in the Championship owing to goal difference, hit the front thanks to David Parkhouse’s 25th-minute header but Ards were level before long after Michael Ruddy tucked away a spot kick four minutes later.
A pair of Newell strikes nine minutes apart in the second period sealed the deal for John Bailie’s side, who will hope this result can reignite their season.
Ards goalkeeper Marc Matthews was called into action twice in the early stages of the contest, tipping over a dipping free-kick in the second minute before pulling off a similar save from the resulting corner.
At the other end Zach Barr was unable to take advantage of a scoring chance when he mistimed his contact and watched his header go harmlessly wide. Defender Bobby Deane suffered an injury to his ankle in the pre-match warm-up and was withdrawn in the 20th minute to be replaced by Ethan Simpson. That forced a reshuffle in the Ards ranks with Connor Maxwell slotting into the left side of defence and Eamon Scannell switching to a wing-back berth.
Former Derry City frontman Parkhouse sent a bullet header from a corner beyond the reach of Matthews to hand the visitors the initiative with 25 minutes played, but less than five minutes later Ards had restored parity. After Barr was upended in the penalty area by Welders goalkeeper Jack Mills, captain Michael Ruddy gave the visiting custodian no chance as he coolly picked out the right inside-netting.
Ards could have gone ahead just 60 seconds after that following great work from Simpson whose cross was met by Barr but the striker’s header was off target.
The hosts continued to ask questions of Paul Kee’s men in the second half with the industrious Simpson seeing his strike from the edge of the area gathered by Mills as Ards cranked up the pressure.
With little over a quarter of an hour to go Ards found the breakthrough their play had deserved when Newell capitalised on the visitors’ high defensive line to race onto a Patrick Cafolla pass and hold off Welders skipper Lewis Patterson before steering home.
A curling effort from Tiarnan O’Connor at the other end whistled over, but Newell made almost certain of the points with seven minutes remaining. Again the Welders’ line presented the opportunity, with Matthews’ goal-kick flicked into the path of Newell by his strike partner Barr and the ex-Newry striker slotted low beyond Mills with conviction.
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Substitutes: Simpson (Deane 20), Newell (Hunter 68), Tipton (Steele 85).
Not used: Gibbons, C. Scannell, Quinn.
Booked: E. Scannell, Newell.
H&W Welders: Mills, Patterson (C), McCarthy, D. O’Kane, McCloskey, Harris, Parkhouse, Kee, O’Connor, McCoubrey, Wilson.
Substitutes: McAleenan (D. O’Kane 66), Mearns (Parkhouse 66), Farren (McCloskey 66), McMullan (McCoubrey 83).
Not used: Agnew, McDowell.
Booked: O’Kane, McCarthy.
Referee: Michael McKenna
