Coleraine started brightly on a wet, slippery pitch with Mark Guest firing in the first shot after only 90 seconds on the clock. After 4 minutes, Michael Surgeon came even closer to opening the scoring when he crashed a header against the underside of the crossbar. However, after this early flurry, Ards came more into the game, and had a few good chances of their own. Wes Lamont made a couple of good saves, and Brendan Aspinall saved a one- on one situation with a magnificant sliding tackle inside the oenalty area. Coleraine's response to this Ards pressure resulted in a corner on the right from which David McCallan found space for a free header but missed the target. As half time approached, Ards once again had the best of the play, and most Coleraine fans were pleased to hear the half time whistle with the scores still level.

Coleraine still appeared sluggish after the break, but about 5 minutes in Kenny Shiels sent on Eamon Doherty and Johnny McIvor for Andy Ramage and the ineffectual Mark Guest. Almost immediately, Coleraine raised the tempo and created a couple of good chances. Both Michael Surgeon and Sam Shiels had missed with headers, and David McCallan had hesitated in the penalty area instead of shooting before Sam Shiels broke free on the left of the area. As Shiels slipped the ball wide of Paul Kee, the keeper brought him down with a sliding dive, presenting Coleraine with a penalty. Robbie Brunton stepped up and made no mistake. After the Coleraine goal, Ards came back into the ascendancy. Things might change after suffering a few defeats, but on Saturday's performance Ards do not seem the relegation certainties that most pundits expect. Indeed, only a couple more fine Lamont saves held the points firmly in Coleraine's grasp.

1. Wesley Lamont

Man of the Match. A confident display incorporating fine shot-stopping and some nifty dribbling which gave the home crowd heart failure. (8)

2. Oliver McAuley

Fine performance, although he was caught upfield on a couple of occasions. (7)

3. Robbie Brunton

Seems to have taken over the role of penalty taker. Another good display. (7)

4. Brendan Aspinall

Was giong to be MoM until Lamont's fine end to the game. If Brendan keeps up this form, he'll be off to Linfield at the end of the season. (please God no!) (8)

5. Paul Gaston

Solid as ever in the tackle and very composed on the ground. (7)

6. Andy Ramage

Andy started a game for the first time and tried hard, but the attack needed the finesse of Eamon Doherty. (6)

7. Sam Shiels

The usual high work-rate resulting in a couple of good chances and the creation of the penalty. (7)

8. Mark Guest

Not as impressive as last week, although the conditions did not favour wing play. Will need to do better to keep McIvor out of the starting eleven in Greg O'Dowd's absence. (7)

9. David McCallan

Another barren day. Someone please set this man up with an unmissable hat-trick - it would make all the difference. (6)

10. Pat McAllister

Was he playing? Not the usual all-action performance. (6)

11. Michael Surgeon

Quiet by his recent high standards, but still played quite well (7)

sub Johnny McIvor (for Guest)

Suffered from the conditions as much as the man he replaced. On a day which should have suited a tricky player running at a full back, Johnny was too often caught moving in to the cluttered infield. (6)

sub Eamon Doherty(for Ramage)

Provided the midfield with the spark lacking for long periods of the first half. (7)

sub Conor McKeever (for Surgeon)

A quiet 10 minute debut for McKeever. (6)