NIWFA Davisons Frudles Premier League match report – Crusaders Newtownabbey Strikers 2 Ballymena Allstars 0

Crusaders’ fifth win of the season enabled them to maintain their top of the table position (on a slender goal difference margin) and equal on points with Glentoran BU. Tonight’s match was played on grass at the Valley Leisure Centre and featured a strong Ballymena midfield led ably by Teri Magee.

She and her teammates including Naomi McNaul dominated this sector of the field in the first half. However, their domination of play in the middle did not reap any rewards for them in the first 45 minutes despite a looping shot by Magee from the left side of the penalty box after 26 mins.

This was to cost them dearly in the second half when breathing space for them was minimal. Crusader’s keeper, Angela Platt, was never seriously tested throughout the course of the match and any pressure laid on her and the Crusaders’ defence in the first half faded slowly over the course of the match.

Crusaders were first to draw blood on 5 minutes after a pinpoint corner from Lyndsey Patterson was met strongly by Sara Booth in a packed penalty box.

This corner came after concerted pressure from Strikers’ left winger, Nicole Connolly, whose deft touches caused Ballymena’s defence some problems. Connolly’s defensive play was also excellent and her breaking up of play enabled Strikers to create a number of chances in the first half, none of which caused major problems for the Ballymena keeper Ciara McCoy.

Strikers’ second goal on 40 minutes also came from a corner which was adjudged to be an own goal by referee David Todd. This left the half-time score at 2-0 to the home team. Strikers welcomed back left winger Lisa Armour from injury in the second half (she was a substitute for Connolly on 45 mins) and they asserted much greater pressure on Ballymena over the second 45 minutes, so much so that McCoy was forced to claim a number of high balls in the box as well as saving bravely from the feet of Helen McKenna on two occasions.

While there were no notable chances created by Ballymena in the second half, their midfield continued to battle admirably but it was their packed defence which managed to keep a clean sheet.

This was despite an overall total of 17 attempts on goal by Strikers over the course of the match and the substitution of Claire Carson for last year’s top scorer for Strikers, Terri Harper.

A change in Strikers’ formation was again key to their ability to exert sustained second half pressure on the opposition in the attacking half of the field and centre forward Helen McKenna exemplified the competitive spirit that runs throughout the whole team.

Next week sees the much anticipated clash of the top of table rivals, Crusaders Newtownabbey Strikers and Glentoran Belfast United at the Billy Neill pitches.

With one goal difference separating the teams, it promises to be a critical match in the overall determination of the league title, akin perhaps to the results of the key encounters between Chelsea and Manchester United over the course of this year’s Premiership. While neither Crusaders or Glentoran can claim equivalence with the Blues or the Reds of course, there can be no doubting both sides’ desire to take 3 points from their rivals.

Expect the league’s current top scorers – McDowell and McKenna of Strikers and O’Hagan of Glentoran – to show their run of form in front of goal while, at the same time, both defences will be striving to keep the number of goals conceded to a minimum. Kick-off, 7.30pm, Billy Neill pitches. Megaphones optional!

Report -: Dr Katie Liston