IN a thrilling clash to kick off the week, Coleraine Women Reserves and Ards Rangers II battled out an intense 3-3 draw last night, with both sides showcasing resilience, passion, and attacking flair in equal measure…
The match kicked off with both teams eager to secure a crucial three points, and it was evident from the outset that neither side intended to sit back. The first half was an energetic affair with end-to-end action keeping spectators on the edge of their seats.
Despite Coleraine’s efforts, it was Ards who struck first — a moment of brilliance saw a stunning effort loop into the top left corner, giving them a 1-0 lead heading into the break.
Coleraine came out for the second half determined to claw their way back into the match, but their task was made harder when Ards doubled their lead early on. Far from letting their heads drop, this goal seemed to ignite the fire within the Coleraine side.
A well-executed throw-in from Vanessa Somerville found Lindsay Norton, who cleverly laid the ball off to Urszula Rakowska. Without hesitation, Rakowska hammered home a goal to give Coleraine a lifeline. The momentum had shifted, and just ten minutes later, it was 2-2. A brilliant sequence of play down the wing from Tina Connor, through to Aoibhe Wilson who ended with a pinpoint cross into the box, where Niya McIntyre calmly finished to bring the sides level.
Coleraine weren’t done yet. A clever through ball from Somerville once again unlocked the Ards defence, this time finding striker Kyla McGivern in space. McGivern did not disappoint, firing home to give Coleraine the lead for the first time in the match.
With twenty minutes to go, the Reserves dug deep to protect their 3-2 advantage, working tirelessly across the pitch. However, with minutes ticking down, a moment of miscommunication at the back saw a panicked pass across goal fall kindly to Ards, who made no mistake in capitalising and slotting home the equaliser. In a last ditch effort to regain the lead, centre-back Lucy Hollies made an impressive run but was unlucky to just run out of time.
The final whistle blew with honours even in a pulsating 3-3 encounter. While Coleraine will be disappointed not to have held on for the win, the fightback and team spirit on display were nothing short of inspiring.
A huge thank you to Ards Rangers II for a competitive and spirited match — we wish you all the best for the rest of your season.