There was a somewhat lacklustre opening to the game with a Kevin Kelbie 18th minute effort which Andy McDonald stopped being the best of what was created.

But Ards almost went in at the break with the advantage when, on 43 minutes Darren Stirling volleyed just over.

The Ladbrokes.com Championship side continued to look the most likely to score after the break when Craig McMillen was denied by a one-handed Sean O'Neill save before Stirling had another effort beaten away.

Stirling came close again for the visitors on 57 minutes following a goalmouth scramble while, with a quarter-of-an-hour remaining, David Cully rose unmarked to meet a James Wright free-kick but O'Neill stretched a leg to keep the effort out.

And, on 87 minutes, Wright had another chance to snatch what would have been a deserved victory for Tommy Kincaid's side when he headed wide from a McMillen cross with the goal at his mercy.