This week saw us off to play high flying North Belfast who are lying 3rd in the Premier league of the SBYL in the quarter final of the League cup.
From the whistle Ards were on top closing down passing working hard for each other on 5 mins Noah Crenshaw made the North Belfast keeper make a superb save. Defensively with Brandon McFerran, Jack Hare, Reece Atkinson and Marcus Barron North Belfast did not have much joy. In the middle of the park Ryan Hannah, Stuart Graham and Matthew Guest were fighting for ever ball not giving North Belfast time to play there free flowing football. Eight minutes in and a throw in from Matthew Guest sent Jack Patterson free and he raced in to put Ards 1-0 up the cheers from the sideline were deafening. After the goal North Belfast started to get more into the game and on 27 mins a late tackle on the North Belfast striker led to a penalty. Jai Sykes in goal was to make another wonderful save from the North Belfast striker and keep Ards 1 up going into half time.
Half time Ards 1v North Belfast 0
Half time team talk was easy more of the same, unfortunately we were forced to make a change due to an injury to Matthew Guest and he was replaced with Matthew Cunningham.
The half got started and Ards were on the defensive for the first 10 mins playing on the break going close but unable to take any of their chances. Kurtis Barkley came on to replace the hardworking team captain Ryan Hannah. This was the way it would go until the 22min when a long ball from the keeper caught the Ards defence cold and the North Belfast striker made in 1 each with 7 mins to go .Ards then started to push for the winner with Jack Patterson getting free from his marker the keeper caught him just inside the box penalty was the cry but the ref said play on. Changes were made with Stuart Hannah replacing Marcus Baron Ards piled forward. With more chances missed and running out of time it was looking like extra time but with 2 mins injury time left North Belfast got a lucky break and there striker made it 2 .1 North Belfast . Kurtis Barkley had to be replaced late on after picking up an injury when he made a superb last minute tackle to prevent North Belfast getting a shot on goal, Christopher Duncan came on to give his support to his team mates.
Final Score Ards Youth 1 v North Belfast 2
Today was the best performance to date from the boys they believed played good football and on another day the result could have been different .After the game the North Belfast coaches said that this was one of the hardest matches they had this year and they were lucky to get the win.
Man of the match
This week it goes to Brandon McFerran just back from injury what a game keep it up
Special mention to Jai Sykes another great game and another penalty save that’s 3 this season keep up the hard work
Note from the Manager ( OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BOYS)
