Linfield 2-0 Ards
Last updated 28th Oct 2017
Jordan Stewart and Josh Robinson got the goals as Linfield beat Ards 2-0 to get back to winning ways in the Danske Bank Premiership.
Linfield went into this one having suffered 4 defeats in their last 5 games, the most recent of which was a 5-2 home hammering at the hands of Crusaders.
Manager David Healy rang out the changes, most notably in dropping the centre-back pairing of Jimmy Callacher and Mark Stafford.
Ards were almost gifted an early goal in the 2nd minute as Josh Robinson misplaced a lateral pass in his own half which was intercepted by David McAllister, whose shot was saved by Roy Carroll.
With 20 minutes played, Linfield's Jordan Stewart played in Andy Waterworth, but the striker was denied by the onrushing Aaron Hogg, who came racing out of his box.
2 minutes later, captain Mark Haughey fired wide after a free kick was floated into the Ards box.
Linfield then made a copy of the early error as Robbie Garrett's wayward pass in the 23rd minute was intercepted by Jonah Mitchell. He was able to slip a pass in behind for Guillaume Keke, whose low effort forced a smothering save from Carroll.
Jordan Stewart finally broke the deadlock in the 35th minute.
A Matthew Clarke cross from the left took a slight deflection on its way into the box, but Stewart was able to control it, swivel, and shoot high into the roof of the net from 10 yards.
Josh Robinson added Linfield's second 9 minutes after the break, rising highest to score a back post header after a corner from Matthew Clarke.
That goal effectively killed off any hopes of an unlikely Ards recovery, and Linfield bossed possession as the game fizzled out as a contest.