Coleraine still in the hunt after Ards victory
Coleraine keep the pressure on Crusaders at the top of the Danske Bank Premiership after their 3-1 victory over Ards at the Bangor Fuels arena.
The gap remains at 2 points at the top of the table following Crusaders 3-0 victory over Dungannon Swifts meaning the title race could go to the wire.
A brace from Jamie McGonigle and a goal from Brad Lyons helped the Bannsiders to victory. Ross Clarke grabbed Colin Nixon’s sides only goal of the game to make it 4 goals in 2 games for the winger.
Coleraine hit the ground running and grabbed the lead in the opening 5 minutes. Martin Smith’s pinpoint pass released Jamie McGonigle who coolly slotted home from inside the area.
Moments later it was 2 as Brad Lyons fired the ball home after some neat link-up play from Smith and Burns giving the Stripes a 2 goal advantage in the opening 10 minutes.
Colin Nixon’s men found their composure and reduced the deficit on 18 minutes as recent signing Ross Clarke found the back of the net with a well placed free kick.
The goal sparked Ards into life and they could have been level when Guileme Keke’s effort deflected off Coleraine defender Gareth McConaghie as well as the post before going behind for a goal kick.
Ards continued to mount the pressure and could have grabbed the equaliser as Keke and Clarke threatened again.
The Bannsiders held the advantage at half-time in what was a a scrappy encounter at the Bangor Fuels Arena.
The second-half commenced much the same as the first as Burns and Lyons had chances to extend Coleraine’s lead but to no avail.
Coleraine appealed for a penalty on 46 minutes after the ball looked to have hit the arm of an Ards defender but referee Andrew Davey disagreed.
Oran Kearney introduced Eoin Bradley and Ciaron Harkin to add some energy to the game. Bradley had an immediate impact as he won a penalty on 71 minutes after being fouled inside the area. Up-stepped McGonigle and the striker made no mistake as he fired home from 12 yards to bag his second of the match.
This all but wrapped up the game as a contest as Colin Nixon’s side failed to create much by the way of chances in the second-half. Bradley and Lyons had half chances in the closing stages but the duo failed to make their efforts count.
With the league split imminent it is all to play for with only 6 games remaining. The result means that Coleraine still find themselves in second place with only 2 points separating the Bannsiders and Stephen Baxter’s Crusaders.
ARDS FC: Johnston, Glendinning, Byers, Taylor, Ruddy, Tommons (J.Kelly ’67), Cherry, Clarke, Frazer (Mitchell ’52), Keke (McLellan ’81), Stewart
UNUSED SUBS: Davidson, L. Kelly
COLERAINE FC: Johns, Kane, Smith (Harkin ’60), Carson (Dooley ’77), Burns (Bradley ’66), McConaghie, Lyons, O’Donnell, Parkhill, Traynor, McGonigle
UNUSED SUBS: Mullan, Douglas
Referee: Andrew Dave