Disappointing display by Ducks in loss to Ards

Ards 2 Ballinamallard United 0

A disappointing performance saw Ballinamallard slip to a fourth league defeat of the campaign, losing 2-0 to Ards at Clandeboye Park on Saturday.

First half goals from Ross Hunter and Adam Salley were enough to seal the points for the home side on the day against a Mallards side that never really got going.

The Ducks had started the contest brightly enough with BJ Banda firing into the sidenetting after being slipped in by Shane Mcginty while the same two players then combined to tee Aaron

Arkinson up for a cross but nobody could get on the end of his delivery.

Ards though began to settle to the task after this and with 27 minutes on the clock the home side took the lead. Ards hit the Ducks on the counter and the ball was fed to Hunter who slotted home for 1-0.

It went from bad to worse for Ballinamallard when they lost centre half Lee Warnock to injury and Ards went close to doubling their advantage as Ethan Taggart’s cut back found Hunter but his effort came back off the crossbar.

A second goal though did arrive for Ards just before the break as Salley rose to nod home from a corner to leave it 2-0 at the interval.

The visitors did push to try and find a way back into the game in the early stages of the second half and Ben Mccann had a chance from a cross from Joshua Mcilwaine but his header was comfortably gathered by Moore in the Ards goal.

Manager Harry Mcconkey rung the changes in an attempt to get Ballinamallard back into the contest but they could find no way through as Ards saw out the remainder of the contest to deservedly claim the three points on offer.