Ards turn the tide

Ards 25 : 3 Co Carlow

Roy Lawton reports

The three weeks enforced layoff due to the bitterly cold weather, appeared to do Ards the power of good when they finally pulled on the jerseys last Saturday and welcomed Co Carlow to Hamilton Park in the AIB League.

Even this match was touch and go for a while because of the deluge of water that fell from the heavens the night before, but the club’s dedicated ground staff set about their tasks from early morning and had the pitch in a playable condition come kick-off time at 2.30pm.

Ards were in a bullish mood when they took to the field and determined to get the New Year off to a perfect start and help relieve the stress of the ever present Ards faithful on the touchline.

Tries by Chris Agnew, Stewart Paul and Scott Young should however help lift the spirits as they await the arrival of high flying Queens to Hamilton Park, in two weeks time.

This was a very good all round performance from an Ards perspective. It was physical work but no Ardsman shunned it and crucially, self-discipline was as impressive as control of the ball. Ards have a break next Saturday as they have already played Naas earlier on in the season.