It was a great opening night for Crusaders in the Sports Direct Premiership as they recorded a win in their first game beating Ballymena United 2-1 at the Ballymena Showgrounds. Adam Lecky and Jarlath O'Rourke scored goals in the first half hour to put Crusaders in the driving seat and a additional time goal by Ryan Waide did little to dampen the win.
Crusaders started strongly and Sean O'Neill in the United goal was the difference between his side going behind twice in the first fifteen minutes. It wasn't long after Crusaders did open the scoring on 16 minutes when Adam Lecky finished with a shot high into the net after a well constructed move and neat footwork by Ben Kennedy. Crusaders looked dangerous on every attack and Ben Kennedy was close when his shot was deflected inched by the post and United survived. Jarlath O'Rourke made it 2-0 on 29 minutes when he scored from a few yards out after Paul Heatleys controlled pass from an Adam Lecky cross made it easy to convert and Crusaders where moving out of sight. United finally got a shot away that did not trouble Johnny Tuffey and Sean O'Neill was a hero once more after superbly saving another Paul Heatley effort. Before the half ended Paul Heatley had the ball in the net but was offside while the same player nearly capitalised on a Colin Coates mistake but somehow the half ended only 2-0 to the away side.
The second half started with United obviously on a mission to get back into the game and they came close when Johnny Tuffey pushed away Colin Coates header on 50 minutes. A busy Jarlath O'Rourke had another had another shot blocked with Jimmy Callacher was on hand with some neat defending to stop a rare United attack. The fight back got worse for United when Captain Colin Coates was given a straight red for a terrible tackle on Paul Heatley on the hour but they held it together without conceding. Sean O'Neill made another good save when he got to a Philip Lowry effort and as the game played out Ryan Waide ruined the clean sheet tally for Crusaders late in the game when he rifled in the goal of the game from distance leaving Johnny Tuffey no chance it the 97th and final minute of the game.
So three points to start the campaign and thoughts quickly turn to Tuesday night when Dungannon Swifts come to play Crusaders at Seaview in Match Day 2 of the Sports Direct Premiership. Tickets are on sale at www.crusadersfc.com now.