Larne grabbed a valuable three points against fellow promotion hopefuls Ards on Tuesday night thanks to a Gary Rafferty goal midway through the second half.

As in Larne’s first league game the referee or in this case the lack of it grabbed the headlines. The appointed referee for the game against failed to appear as he had allegedly been off sick for two weeks but no one thought to appoint a replacement.

In the end local whistler Jim Holden stepped into the breach and did an excellent job. Larne made three changes from the Dromara game giving debuts to Craig Gilmore and Ryan Maxwell while Gary Rafferty who was on the bench on Saturday started the game.

It was the visitors managed by former Inver Park boss Tommy Kincaid who started the brighter of the two sides. With three minutes gone a Wright corner on the right caused problems for the home defence before Brown scrambled it clear.

Four minutes later Fitzgerald almost capitalised on some slack defending but fired wide. The Ards striker again got into a good position on fourteen minutes with a low shot which Neeson was forced to save at the second attempt. The visitors wasted a golden opportunity to edge ahead on twenty four minutes.

The Larne rearguard went awol as McIlhagga exchanged passes with Sterling then evaded two challenge only to somehow fire wide from eight yards. On the half hour the Red had their first clear cut chance.

McLoughlin whipped in a ball from the right but with the keeper stranded Fulton just failed to provide the required touch. Ards finished the half strongly with McMillan driving his twenty two yard shot just over before McIlhagga almost squeezed in Fitzgerald’s cross at the back post.

Fitzgerald had another chance to put the visitors in front seven minutes after the break. He picked the ball up in the box and turned well only to shoot straight into the arms of Neeson. A poor clearance from McDonald at e the other end presented McLaughlin with a half chance but his return shot was one to forget.

With an hour gone substitute Billing drilled a twenty five shot just over the bar. Larne then broke the deadlock six minutes later. A Brown free kick was headed back into the danger area into the path of Rafferty whose low shot hit the back of the net before the keeper had moved.

Larne had a let off four minutes later when Fitzgerald picked up a pass ten yards out. He curled his shot wide of Neeson but also the wrong side of the post. Twice in the space of four minutes Larne had chances to seal the points.

A McLoughlin corner to the back post found Moore whose bullet header flew just wide. McLoughlin then raced down the right and crossed to the near post and fired in a low cross which was met by Fulton who was denied by a super save from McDonald.

Neeson in the home goal then showed why he is holding onto the number one shirt with an excellent double save to deny Fitzgerald.