Ballinamallard 2-2 Ards
Ballinamallard conceded an injury-time equaliser as they shared the points with Ards at Ferney Park on Saturday.
Ards came into the encounter having won both of their opening league games, but they found themselves two down after just 17 minutes.
Danny Barker and James McGrath struck early for the Mallards, but the home team were on the back foot for much of the second half and Ards got their reward with an equaliser from a corner in the 94th minute adding to a goal ten minutes into the half.
Ballinamallard manager Mark Stafford was forced into a change of shape for the match against the league leaders, starting the game with three centre-backs after he had to name a squad without the suspended Aaron Arkinson, the injured Gary Armstrong and the unavailable Daragh Byrne and Aaron Smyton.
Despite the new formation, it was the Mallards who settled into the game quickest in front of their home crowd and they took the lead with just nine minutes on the clock.
Goalkeeper Joel Little started the move, bowling the ball out to Aaron Harkin who found Richie Johnston on the right wing.
The centre-back picked out Barker with a long lofted pass, and the teenager showed good control to pull the ball out of the air and slot past Marc Matthews in the Ards goal.
Ballinamallard continued to press forward and ten minutes later they doubled their advantage with Barker again central to the play.
A long clearance was hooked forward by Jamie Dunne and Barker looked second favourite to win the bouncing ball, but his pace allowed him to nick the ball from Matthew McEvoy and he advanced to the byline before threading a pass between two recovering defenders for James McGrath to tap into the empty net.
Callum Moorehead, making his first start of the season at wing-back, then intercepted a pass deep in his own half and skipped past a challenge before advancing on the Ards penalty area, but his shot flew narrowly wide of the post.
The home team continued to dominate play for most of the first half, but Ards made a triple substitution at halftime, and they looked like a transformed side for the second period.
In-form striker Zach Barr went down with a head injury early in the second half and had to be replaced by Gary Donnelly, but the substitute’s first touch pulled a goal back for the visitors.
From the drop ball restart following the injury Ards got the ball out wide and Donnelly got the faintest of touches to Mark Carson’s cross as the ball sneaked in off the far post.
Boosted by the goal Ards continued to attack, and Eamon Scannell had a shot saved by a diving Joel Little before Ballinamallard survived a penalty claim after a tackle by Johnston.
The pressure continued to build on the Ballinamallard goal and Little was at full stretch to turn Connor Maxwell’s free-kick over the bar.
Connor Scannell blasted over from the edge of the area moments later and Eamon Scannell had a header straight at Little, but after a succession of corners, Ards did finally grab a late equaliser when Scannell volleyed in off the underside of the crossbar to deny the Mallards the win.
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