Kieran Offord will take the plaudits this evening after a hat trick help secure Crusaders moving into the Semi Final of the Bet McLean Cup at Seaview but it was a team performance also in the extra time 4-2 win over Dungannon Swifts.
The game started brilliantly for Crusaders and they where rewarded with the opening goal after Harry Jewitt-White crashed home his shot from 18 yards on 17 minutes to put Crusaders one ahead. It got better on 23 minutes when Kieran Offord tapped in from a yard after good work by Daniel Larmour who crossed low into the danger area for Kieran to finish. Dungannon Swifts got a goal back four minutes from half time when a mistake let John McGovern in and his shot somehow squirmed past Johnny Tuffey to leave it 2-1 at halftime.
The second half saw Dungannon Swifts come at Crusaders who dealt with everything in a proper manner and the visitors found it hard to get past a solid defence. Th egame became a touch “bogged down” and as Crusaders started to think it was their night Tim Marshall awarded a harsh penalty on 86 minutes. The spot kick was well saved by Johnny Tuffey but Ladislau Alves was quickest to react and scored the rebound sending the game into extra time with a 2-2 scoreline after 90 minutes.
Two minutes into extra time and Kieran Offord put Crusaders ahead again. He took the ball in the box and let rip from an angle seeing it cut across the keeper and going in just inside the far post. Crusaders where in control throughout and whre rewarded with a two goal cushion on 114 minutes which also proved to be Kieran Offords hat trick. Kieran chased down a ball and after winning a tussle with the Dungannon Swifts defender he calmly drew the keeper out and slotted the ball past him into the net making it 4-2. The second period of extra time passed without incident and Dungannon Swifts had no reply to Crusaders who on the whistle had made the Semi Final of the cup and a happy Seaview.
A great win and a first hat trick in red and black for Kieran Offord and it sets Crusaders up well as we look forward to Saturday and a trip to play Glenavon.