After a goalless draw last week in the Derby the boys knew what was required and they rattled in five goals.
We headed off to Inverary Park for a 10am kick off in a beautiful sunny morning for the launch of our new home kit. Albert Foundry were the opponents and we new from last years encounter in the cup that they would give us a game and in the first minute of the game when our defence was still sleeping Foundry took the lead 1:0. The boys got straight back at them and got the equaliser when Brandon McFerran found Jack Patterson out on the right, Jack skipped his way through the Foundry defence and slotted the ball past the keeper at the near post 1:1. Then a minute later slack marking allowed Foundry to take the lead again 2:1. We kept our heads and kept playing good football and got our by CouponDropDown" href="http://www.ardsfcacademy.co.uk/j/match-centre-31812/0-2079696">reward in the 14th minute when Matthew Guest sent over the corner from the left hand side and Reece Atkinson popped up at the back post to head the ball into the net 2:2. We were lacking a bit of bite in the midfield so Caleb Surgenor came on in the 24th minute and right away his strength was showing and he was always going to be a factor in the result. We Were not in full flight the back four had settled midfield were looking stronger and Stuart Hannah out on the left wing was having the game of his life. Jack Patterson was struggling after taking a knock, so was replaced in the 30th minute to give us time to look at his injury to see if he could continue playing in the second half. On the stroke of half time we finally took the lead in the match for the first time, Matthew Guest sent over the corner which was headed clear but Jordan Mulholland was lingering just outside the box and from 20 yards we sent a powerful shot into the back of the net 2:3.
HALF TIME: 2.3
Half time team talk was simple to get control of the second half, close them down quicker and get an early goal and that's exactly what the boys did. Jack Patterson was fit to restart up front and in the first minute we grabbed our fourth goal to give us a bit of daylight, again it came from a Matthew Guest corner this time from the right side and Caleb Surgenor was there to bundle the ball into the net 2:4. Then in the 45th minute came the move of the match when Reece Atkinson found Ryan Hannah out on the right, Ryan with his back to the defender who was tight to him flicked and turned the defender and away he went one one with the keeper, as the keeper came to meet him Ryan flicked the ball past him goalward bound but the grass being long slowed the ball down and allowed the defender to clear it off the line. Ards kept pressing forward and in the 62nd minute put the game out of sight when Ryan Hannah sent over a floating ball into the the Foundry box and Caleb Surgenor was on hand to put it into the net to grab his second of the match 2:5. Jack Patterson was replaced by Ben Dempster in the 65th minute so he could rest his foot and Marcus Baron replaced the Man of the Match Stuart Hannah on the left wing. Ryan's last contribution of the match was when he sent over another cross for Noah Crenshaw to flick it with the head past the keeper only to come back of the the far side post. Reece Thompson came on to replace the hard working Ryan Hannah. Foundry had a few chances late on but Jai Sykes pulled of two excellent saves to make sure he kept a clean sheet in the second half.
FULL TIME: 2.5
MANAGERS COMMENTS:
A slow start but the boys showed how far they have come on by lifting there game and getting the by CouponDropDown" href="http://www.ardsfcacademy.co.uk/j/match-centre-31812/0-2079696">job done with plenty of good football on show.
Well done everyone lets keep it going
