It was a crucial match against Sion Swifts, if Crusaders Strikers won then they would leap frog the Swifts and move into third. The first half was very cat and mouse with both teams nullifying each other. Crusaders won a lot of corners but there was no clinical edge. Sion Swifts showed a lot of pace but didn’t have many clear cut chances either. The game was on a knife edge.
In the second half Crusaders Strikers started brightly and put a lot of pressure on Swifts’ defence. After a double substitution McCann off for McEvoy and Morgan on for Peachey the urgency in the Strikers increased. Swifts also made a double substitution Brown and Doherty off for O’Connor-Farren and Coyle. Eddis and Boyle came on too for Ingram and Rea.
With pressure building from the Strikers, Rachel McLaren hit the post and then within a few more minutes broke the deadlock with an accurate shot, set up from a well worked short corner. Swifts replied when there was a scramble in the Strikers’ box and Teegan Lynch equalised. The game became more frantic as both battled for the precious win.
Eventually the winner came when Amy McGivern chested down a ball and slotted the ball ruthlessly into the right hand corner. In the celebrations Lisa Armour was shown a second yellow card for bad language and was sent off. Strikers held on to a hard fought win and move up to third in the Danske NIFL Premiership.
Next up for the Strikers is Lisburn Ladies in the Co.Antrim & District Football Association Toals’ Women’s Challenge Cup Friday 26th August, Lisburn.
Finally, next up in the Premiership is again Lisburn 12th September away and the next home match is against Glentoran on 21st September.