Davis salutes Ardley's performance

A resilient Ardley outfit won 2-0 in Saturday’s premier division clash at Glevum Park, where Leam Howards and James McCarthy got the goals.

Rovers started well, Macaulay Herbert fired wide, Chris Jackson denied Warren Mann as he lined up to shoot and Mark Pritchett fired wide from the edge of the box.

Ardley’s Jack Heap fired over the bar as did Luke Cray from the corner of the box before the visitors took a 21st minute lead. Howards was brought down in the box and he got up to fire home the ensuing spot-kick via the inside of the post.

Rovers hit back strongly, Marcus Foxwell had a shot blocked and Mann fired over from the rebound with Lee Farrow stranded. Shayne Anson saw Farrow tip the ball over the bar and from the ensuing corner Carl Tappin denied Shayne Bradley with the rebound from Ashley Davies being blocked by Jackson.

Just before the break a low cross from Bradley Cox hit a defender but Howards saw his close range effort cleared.

Just after the restart Tappin again came to the rescue again to block another effort from Davies.

Matt Cruse shot just wide before Ardley doubled their advantage in the 72nd minute when McCarthy curled a superb free-kick over the wall and into the top corner.

Troy Bryan cleared one off the line late on and Cruse saw his shot tipped away by Dave Evans.

Davis said: “That was our best performance, not in terms of how we played, or the chances we created, but in terms of character and the way we went about our business. I’m extremely pleased with our defensive performance, to come to a team that are just below us and keep a clean sheet is very pleasing.”