ARDS FIGHT BACK BUT SKY BLUES MAKE IT THROUGH
Ballymena United surrendered a two-goal lead away to Ards but ultimately came through in the end to reach the last 16 of the BetMcLean Cup.
The Sky Blues moved in front on 21 minutes when David McDaid fired low into the net after being played through by Jordan Gibson.
Josh Kelly made it 2-0 just after the half-hour mark with a superb strike from the edge of the box into the top corner.
Ards pulled a goal back early in the second half after Eamon Scannell broke through to lob keeper Jordan Williamson.
Then, in the closing moments of normal time, the home side levelled through Daniel Reynolds after United had given the ball away.
However, the visitors regained the advantage on 101 minutes with McDaid's second of the game, a low drive from around 25 yards.
And five minutes after that David Parkhouse got on the end of a Kenny Kane cross to complete the scoring.
Ards: Moore, Crane, Hall, Taylor, Calderwood, Scannell, Cafolla, Taggart, Hunter, Murray, Reynolds subs Craughwell, Arthurs, Jallow, Mullen, McKendry, McVeigh, Brown
Ballymena United: Williamson, Nelson, Redman, Whiteside, McDaid, Kelly, Waide, Kane, Gibson, Tipton, Place subs O'Neill, Loughran, McElroy, Henderson, Parkhouse, Corbett, Graham
