Glentoran Women were again unchanged tonight as they faced fifth placed Crusaders at home in the Sports Direct Women’s Premiership.
The Glens dominated possessions from kick off and unsurprisingly took the lead on ten minutes when Joely Andrews cleverly lobbed Maddy Harvey-Clifford in the visitors’ goal.
This was followed by a typically quick double from top scorer Kerry Beattie for her fourteenth and fifteenth goals of the season. Then six minutes before the break Emily Wilson scored against her old teammates with her own eighth strike since re-joining the Glens in pre-season.
The second half was less eventful in terms of goalmouth action but was marked by a robust performance from Crusaders with the irrepressible Andrews the recipient of much of the treatment. In fact Joely was removed on 67 minutes to be replaced by Sam Kelly.
Part of the same triple substitution was the introduction of Kelly Bailie (recovered from the injury which has caused her to miss most of the season to date) in central defence with Demi Vance reverting to her regular Northern Ireland role at left back. No matter what role she fills we all know the value of Kelly’s experience and unflappability at the business end of any season.
The Glens had one more goal in them and it came on 83 minutes when Sam Kelly (a player badly missed through injury by both Glentoran and Northern Ireland) fired into the roof of the net.
So Glentoran reach the half way stage three points ahead of Cliftonville at the top of the table and also with a better goal difference. The Reds have a game in hand but Glentoran Women have exciting times ahead between now and the final league game on 13th October.
Next up is Crusaders again on Monday night, again at Ashfield, this time in the County Antrim Cup Final semi-final, kick off 7.45pm.
Glentoran Women: Ellie Scott, Annie Timoney, Jess Foy (c), Emma McMaster, Demi Vance, Nadene Caldwell, Chloe McCarron, Caragh Hamilton, Joely Andrews, Kerry Beattie, Emily Wilson
Subs: Ashleigh McKinnon, Sarah Tweedie (for Timoney 67), Kelly Bailie (for Foy 67) Jenna McKearney (For Wilson 73) , Sam Kelly (for Andrews 67), Rachel Rogan (for Beattie 73)
Photography by Johnny Caldwell
