ARDS FIGHT BACK TO RETURN TO THE TOP

Ten-man Ards staged a remarkable second half comeback to recover from two goals down to claim victory over Knockbreda and move clear at the top of the Lough 41 Championship.

John Bailie's side got off to a promising start, hitting the crossbar through Salou Jallow and having a Calvin McCurry low effort well saved by Lewis Deane inside the opening 15 minutes.

However, they fell behind in an eventful few minutes with little over half-an-hour on the clock.

Defender Jaimie McGovern was initially dismissed for a challenge on Anthony Burns just inside the area, his second caution of the afternoon. Then, from the subsequent spot-kick, Cillin Gilmour slotted low into the right corner despite Brian Neeson diving the correct way.

Then, not long after that, it was 2-0 to 'Breda when Kyle McCauley whipped over a cross from the right edge of the area for Lee Rea to direct a header past Neeson at the near post from six yards.

It was a two-goal lead the home side held until just after the hour when Calvin McCurry pulled one back with a strong header at the back post from Eamon Scannell's well delivered cross from almost out at the corner flag.

And the visitors the levelled with a little more than ten minutes remaining after McCurry took the ball past a couple of defenders before drilling the ball into the area for Jallow to run onto and power a header home.

The winner came right at the end. A mistake by Ross McCaughan in controlling a Conall McGrandles ball into the area allowed McCurry to pounce and knock his second of the afternoon past Deane.

Knockbreda: Deane, McCauley, Gardiner, Hamill, McCaughan, McDermott, Gilmour, Garrett, Burns, Rea, McGreevy subs Magill (not used), Harrison (replaced Burns 57), Curran (not used), Whiteway (not used), Long (not used)

Ards: Neeson, Dinu, McGovern, McGrandles, O’Kane, O’Hare, Cafolla, Scannell, Reynolds, Jallow, McCurry subs Young (not used), Arthurs (replaced Reynolds 60), Ferrin (replaced Dinu 37), Glover (replaced Jallow 82), Calderwood (not used), Murray (replaced O'Kane 46), Carry (not used)