Report by Glenn Kelly
Larne leapfrog rivals Linfield to go top of the Sport’s Direct Premiership after a thoroughly comprehensive 3-0 dismantling of Crusaders at Seaview.
Andy Ryan scored a brace, with a goal either side of a Lee Bonis effort, as the Scot scored his 11th and 12th goals of the season. Crues’ captain BJ Burns saw red late on for a second-bookable offence as Stephen Baxter’s side offered only a meek challenge in the second half.
Dry, mild conditions led to an entertaining start to proceedings and fans only had to wait six minutes for the first meaningful effort on goal and it fell the way of the visitors. Bonis laid the ball off to the in-rushing Levi Ives. The ex-Cliftonville man with a powerful effort from outside the box, but his strike was met with an impressive save from Jonny Tuffey in the Crusaders goal. Just ten minutes later, Jude Winchester had the home side’s first chance. The midfielder with a curling effort from the edge of the area had Larne stopper Rohan Ferguson at full stretch to produce a smart save to tip the ball over the crossbar. As the half progressed, Baxter’s side began to gain the upper hand and almost took the lead on the half-hour mark when an inviting cross from winger Ross Clarke looked like it may find its way into Ferguson’s goal. However, the Scotsman managed to get the faintest of touches to steer the ball wide. Despite the growing pressure Crusaders could not break the Larne resolve and the half ended scoreless. If the first period was defined by near misses, the second half was all about goals, and plenty of them.
Just two minutes in and another Scot broke the deadlock. Tomas Cosgrove's corner was glanced onwards by Leroy Millar into the path of Ryan, and the striker made no mistake, heading home from close range to make it 1-0 to the visitors. Crusaders’ heads must have been spinning as only six minutes later, that man Bonis doubled the Harbour men’s lead. Millar again, back to his rampaging best, finding space on the left wing to charge forward, before playing a superb left-footed cross into the box, which Bonis leaped onto, to head home past a clearly frustrated Tuffey. Just past the hour mark, winger Paul Heatley thought he had gotten the hosts back into the tie. The veteran with an acrobatic volley inside the box after a Crues counter, but it was disallowed for offside. The deflation around the home support was palpable. If Crusaders hoped this opportunity may find them a way back into the game, their hopes were dashed on 67 minutes. Tomas Cosgrove was brought down inside the box home full-back Jarlath O’Rourke and the referee showed no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Up stepped Ryan to send Tuffey the wrong way and roll the ball into the bottom left-hand corner to make it 3-0. Just a minute after the restart, things went from bad to worse for Crusaders as captain Burns was sent off for a second-bookable offence after a late tackle on Jaziel Orozco. As the defender trudged off, his side’s slim hopes of a comeback went with him. Larne were the only side who threatened the scoreboard in the final moments of the game, with Bonis going close after a mix-up in the Crues’ defence, but he could not hit the target and the game finished 3-0 to the east Antrim side, who hit the summit of the table.
Crusaders: Tuffey, Burns, Weir, Lecky, Forsythe, O'Rourke, Winchester, Larmour, Heatley, Clarke, Anderson.
Subs: Williamson, Teelan, M.Kennedy, Owens, Smith, McKenna, James.
Larne: Ferguson, Donnelly, Farquhar, Thomson, Bonis, Ives, Bolger, Millar, Cosgrove, Ryan, Orozco.
Subs: Dowling, Kearns, O'Neill, Lloyd, Gordon, Paul, Glynn