Crusaders didn't take long to get going in the first pre season game of the season and when they started they didn't stop running out 9-0 winners against East Belfast.
New striker Adam Brooks scored with a great strike in the 6th minute and it was followed up in the 18th minute by another new signing Elliott Dunlop when he finished well after a good team move.. A third new signing scored a great individual goal in the 22nd minte when Finley Thorndike made a good run, beating several opposition players and rifled his shot home. It was 4-0 in the 26th minute when Jay Boyd tapped home after a good cross and Karter Bond continued the goal rush in the 32nd minute scoring after coming on to replace Jay Boyd.
Half Time. Crusaders 5 East Belfast 0
East Belfast steadied the ship in the second half but a much changed Crusaders team at half time finally broke them down in the 70th minute when Oli McCart beat the keeper from 12 yards scoring in a “one on one” situation. It opened the gates again for Crusaders, Trialist B finished another good move in the 74th minute and this was followed up in the 83rd minute by yet another new signing scoring. Kieran McKechnie scored from 14 yards with a well directed header to make it 8-0 and when Trialist B scored with his head in the 89th minute the rout was complete.
Crusaders 9 East Belfast 0
A great start and with eight different scorers Declan Caddell will have been delighted with the performanace and will have given him a lot of positives so early in pre season.