Ards 0, Ballymena United 0

Both sides provided plenty of honest endeavour but it was a game which showed little by way of quality in the final third of the field.

United had received a blow on the eve of the game with the news that goalkeeper Dwayne Nelson has been ruled out for up to a year with cruciate knee ligament damage, joining fellow stopper Stuart Addis on the long-term injury list.

That prompted manager Glenn Ferguson to sign Crusaders keeper Johann Lacroix on loan and the tall Frenchman made an immediate impact with a stunning sixth minute save to keep out Ryan Henderson’s volley from a Willie Faulkner left-wing cross.

Lacroix was again called into action on 11 minutes when he dived to his right to beat away Andy Hunter’s 35-yard free kick.

Prior to those chances, Ballymena had an early appeal for a penalty waved away

United created their first opening on 13 minutes when David Cushley dispossessed David Armstrong close to the dead ball line but when the winger crossed, Gary Thompson could only head straight at former United keeper Alan Blayney, making his debut in goal for Ards.

With both sides struggling to cope with the ball zipping off the sodden artificial surface, United fashioned a decent opening on 28 minutes when Gary Thompson headed the ball down for Mark Surgenor, who blazed over when well placed.

At the other end, Hunter’s header for Ards, from a Knowles free kick, sailed a yard wide of the far post with Lacroix watching on helplessly.

The final action of the first half saw Gary Thompson’s shot take a deflection off a defender but Blayney was able to save comfortably.

Ards came close to opening the scoring just short of the hour mark when defender David Armstrong’s header from a Ryan Moffatt corner came back off the post, with the rebound being blasted over in a ruck of players.

United also wasted a golden opportunity from a corner as Johnny Taylor’s near-post header from Ally Teggart’s corner was off-target.

Lacroix spilled an Andy Mitchell cross but recovered quickly to block Neil Dougan’s follow-up effort and prevent Ards from taking the lead.

At the other end, Blayney tipped over a Gary Thompson shot after the midfielder had been teed up on the edge of the penalty area by Neil Lowry.

Ards had appeals for a penalty dismissed in the closing stages after James Knowles was bundled over by Gavin Taggart, while referee Evan Boyce was equally unimpressed in stoppage time as Johnny Taylor went down under a challenge by Mark McClelland.

There was almost late drama as Ards’ Willie Faulkner surged into the penalty area but Lacroix was out quickly to smother the danger.

Ards: Blayney, Gordon, Hunter, Armstrong, Moffatt, Faulkner, Henderson (sub Smith 55), Knowles, Mitchell (sub McClelland 83), Arthurs (sub McMillan 72), Dougan. Subs (not used): Gibson, McClelland, McCullough.

Ballymena United: Lacroix, Kane, Munster, Taylor, Stewart, Thompson (sub Dolan 84), Surgenor (sub Davidson 76), Taggart, Cushley (sub Lowry 76), Jenkins, Teggart. Subs (not used): Ruddy, McLellan.

Referee: Evan Boyce (Ballygowan)