Killyleagh Make Great Show Against Ards

Ards Rgs  3 Killyleagh YC   3 Killyleagh came within 30 seconds of toppling the Premier Section league leaders on their own ground. Ards struck in the 92nd minute to rescue a point after being given the fright of their lives by Dee Heron’s side who had led 3-1. Killyleagh were without regular keeper Michael McKenna and Gary Murdoch from the side that had shocked Kilmore the previous week but they got off to the best possible start spurred on by Gary Morrison who was unplayable in the first half. [caption id="attachment_15982" align="alignleft" width="249" caption="Killyleagh's Niall Walsh played his part in the good Killyleagh performance against Ards. "][/caption] And when Morrison was brought down in the 7th minute, man of the match Hugh Dickson headed the YC in front from Niall Walsh’s pinpoint free kick. Morrison fizzed off a super effort from 30 yards soon afterwards and then James Wilson was so unlucky when his lob of the keeper landed the wrong side of the crossbar by a matter of inches. Ards regrouped but they needed a large slice of luck to get back on level terms in the 24th minute, a cross hitting Ricky Barr on the back of the head and flying past YC keeper Kenneth Carson. The home side were out of luck though soon afterwards when their centre forward crashed a shot off the crossbar and then there was a goal-line clearance. Killyleagh reclaimed the lead in the 34th minute when the highly impressive Hugh Ross’ carefully flighted free kick deceived everyone, with Wilson confusing the keeper, and it ended in the back of the net. Heron’s side almost made it three on the stroke of half-time when Morrison and Davidson combined to set in the Walsh brothers but Barry was denied by a last ditch clearance. The half-time interval failed to interrupt Killyleagh’s flow and Ards had a let off when the keeper pushed out Davidson’s effort with the help of a post in the 48th minute. Six minutes later though Killyleagh were in dreamland when Ross, who has impressed in his new left back role, curled in an absolute beauty after fine build up work from Davidson and Wilson. Ards replied in the fashion of league leaders and Mark Millar thumped a shot into the side-netting and then came the miss of the game when the Ards support striker cracked the offside trap but with only Carson to beat, pulled his effort the wrong side of the post. It was to be rare opening with Dickson a colossus at the centre of the Killyleagh backline. It was the 78th minute before they did make the breakthrough, Killyleagh conceding yet again from a corner, central defender Gerard Watson with a controlled finish. Carson then produced a fine save and there was some brief respite with half chances for Jason Heron and Wilson but Ards pushed five forward at the close in search of an equaliser. They grabbed a share of the points in injury time after yet another game of ping-pong in the YC box following a controversial free kick awarded when Killyleagh felt Millar was in an offside position. Robert Knox was the goalscoring hero for the Rangers.]]>