After a dramatic first round cup win against Newington on Monday night we barely had time to savour our victory and we were off four days later to The Hanwood Centre to play Sirocco youth another team from the premiership in the 2nd round of the cup.
The boys had unfinished business to take care of as we lost out to Sirocco last season in the semi finals on penalty's.
We hit the ground running and with in two minutes we were one up when Matthew Guest sent over a corner and Reece Thompson met it and put it in the back of the net, 1:0 Ards. Three minutes later and we thought we had doubled our lead when Ryan Hannah chipped the keeper only to see his effort come of the crossbar. The central trio in midfield, Reece Atkinson, Noah Crenshaw & Jack Patterson were dominant and were running the game and at the same time anything over the top was being mopped up by the back four of Matthew Guest, Joel Hill, Edward Muldrew & Jordan Mulholland with Jai Sykes having very little to do in goals. We doubled our lead in the 14the minute when again Matthew Guest became the provider, he sent over a free kick which fell at the feet of Noah Crenshaw inside the box who calmly to control of the ball and stuck it in the back of the net, 2:0 Ards. The boys had started the way they finished on Monday night playing some lovely football and working hard for each other. Stuart Hannah had picked up a yellow card in the 26th minute and it was looking like he was going to get a hard time on the left side so a quick switch with is Brother on the right would get him back to playing football and Ryan started to torcher there right back at every attempt. This would pay of in the 38th minute just before half time when Jai Sykes sent a long ball through the Sirocco defence, Ryan cut round the back of their defence to met the ball and coolly slotted the ball past the out coming goalkeeper to make it three, 3:0 Ards.
HALF TIME: 3.0
A good first half performance with Sirocco offering nothing in response, so the half time team talk was simple, more of the same.
That's exactly what happened as the boys played some great passing football all be it I though we did take the foot of the gas we did have enough chances to score three or four more. Five minutes in Caleb Surgenor replaced Reece Thompson up front and 16 minutes later he crabbed is 5th goal of the season, Noah Crenshaw who was having the game of his season was the provider and Caleb stabbed it into the net, 4:0 Ards. Then Stuart Hannah found himself free on the right of the box but the angle was tight and he lashed his shot into the side netting. Curtis Higgins came on in the 60th minute to replace Stuart Hannah on the right wing and he was unlucky not to score when he got on the end of another Matthew Guest pass and put it in the net but the referee blew for offside and it was the correct decision as Curtis had went just to early. With 13 minutes remaining and the result secure we went to a back three of Eddie, Matthew & Jordan with Joel Hill(who had gave a super performance) making way for young Ben Appleton who went straight up front to partner Caleb in a new 3-5-2 formation.
FULL TIME: 4.0
Managers Comments:
Another good performance tonight boys, now lets take this forward to the N.I.B.F.A. Cup match next week.
Facebook Comments:
Karen Morrison: Well done boys
Karen Hannah: Ards u 16's next round of the cup here we come!!!! Well done boys. Just another wee win for the mighty Ards yeoooo
Carole Edwards: Well done boys
Karen Stephenson: that's brill, well done lads
Helen Munn: Well done lads
Paula Annett: Well done x
Joe Ferguson: that's brilliant well done
Ashley Paden: Well done !!!
Jon Stephenson: Another great result boys well done
Reece Thompson: Well done tonight lads going to the 3rd round of the cup 4-0 get myself a wee goal as well. well done! RABA AfC
