NAFL Premier Division
Immaculata 0-1 Ards Rangers
RYAN Newberry's lob in the 37th minute proved the winner at Grosvenor Recreation Centre on Saturday afternoon as Ards Rangers frustrated Immaculata to seal the points and remain third in the NAFL Premier Division.
It was just one of those days for the hosts as the ball stubbornly refused to go into the net with countless near misses over the course of the game to leave them wondering just how they didn't take something from this fixture.
The Mac were straight onto the front foot from the kick-off with Brian McCaul stinging the palms of Ards Randers' goalkeeper David Ferguson and then they had a penalty appeal for hand-ball waved away when James Haughey's shot struck a defender.
They really ought to have opened the scoring on five minutes when Ben McCaul skipped in on the right and pulled back for Logan Brady, but the striker could only guide the ball outside the post.
The Ards outfit settled and enjoyed a decent spell of possession without really troubling the visitors as a Newberry shot well off target was their only effort of note.
Immaculata then enjoyed another wave of pressure, starting when Michael Fisher launched a quick throw-in long from his own half that put Brady through, but Fergusson got just enough on his shot to divert the ball off the outside of the post for a corner.
Brian McCaul then had a shot blocked out for a corner that led to a thundering header from Caoimhin Slane clearing the bar, while Haughey then weaved in on the left but his shot from a tight angle missed by inches.
Immaculata must have been wondering what they had to do to score but were a little fortunate not to fall behind on 20 minutes when a Rangers corner led to a scramble in the area, but the hosts managed to keep the ball out of the net, eventually winning a free-kick that ended the pressure.
On 35 minutes, they again went close as Ferguson did enough to take the sting out of Haughey's low shot that was still heading in but was hacked clear.
They would be made to rue all these chances going a begging on 37 minutes as a long ball downfield seemed to catch the home defence out as Newberry was alive to it and produced a stunning finish to get the perfect weight on the ball to lob Kieran McGourty and give his side a 1-0 lead at the break.
The onus was on The Mac to get back on terms in the second period and they weren't short on effort as they pushed forward. After another penalty appeal was turned away for a foul, Brian McCaul took a shot that whistled past the post.
McCaul then tried his luck from a long free-kick, but the ball was comfortably over before Gary McVicker was inches from levelling on 55 minutes, but his brilliantly-struck effort from the edge of the area went agonisingly just outside the post.
At the other end, Newberry had a chance to double his money but his curling effort was far too high from a breakaway after they had lost centre-back, Gary Brown, to what looked like a serious injury, but the pattern was set as Immaculata drove forward.
Logan Brady nodded just wide midway through the second period and then a Padraig Adams shot struck his own player before Brady looked in with a great chance close to goal, but lost his footing at the worst time.
Ferguson was then alert to another header from Brady that lacked the power to fully trouble him, while the visitors' goalkeeper was also alive to gather when Slane got his head to a ball that bounced in the area just yards out.
Brian McCaul also had a couple of late efforts from free-kicks with the first getting over the wall but not on target, with another as the game ticked into stoppage time going out for a goal-kick off a team-mate.
In all, it was a frustrating afternoon for the West Belfast outfit that created more than enough opportunities but were unable to convert as Ards Rangers held on for the win.
IMMACULATA: K McGourty, D Bellew (P Adams 67), M Fisher, C Slane, Ben McCaul (J McClenagan 70), C O'Riordan, F Dugan (T McDonald 70), G McVicker, L Brady, Brian McCaul, J Haughey
ARDS RANGERS: D Ferguson, H McIlwrath, R Ennis, G Watson, G Brown (P Simpson 61), A McKee, J Walls, R Newberry, A Brown (B Haddock 75), B Roy (M Hillen 70), M Armstrong
Goal: R Newberry 37
