Crusaders collect first Premiership victory of 2024 with narrow win against Loughgall at Lakeview Park

Teams:

LOUGHGALL: Turker, Rea, Brogan, Kelly, Andrade, Ferris, Gibson, Cartwright, Carroll, Magee, Boyd.

Subs: Devine, Carson, Teggart, Hoey, McAleer, Norton, Waide.

CRUSADERS: Williamson, Lowry, Kennedy, Lecky, Forsythe, O’Rourke, Winchester, Larmour, Heatley, Clarke, Barr.

Subs: Tuffey, Joshua, McAleenan, Owens, Donnelly, Nixon, Boyd.

Referee: Keith Kennedy.

FIRST HALF

6: Benji Magee is played in down the right-hand side of the box and fires in a shot, but is saved by the feet of Jordan Williamson.

17: Berraat Turker does well to come out and beat Adam Lecky to the ball. Smothers it and averts any potential danger.

21: Paul Heatley, who scored the winner at Lakeview Park earlier this season, produces a burst of pace which brings him past the defender but his shot is straight at Turker.

25: First yellow card of the afternoon comes for Jamie Rea after he brought down Paul Heatley. Moments after Magee almost produces a moment of magic for Loughgall.

36: Magee has a big chance to the put the Villagers ahead but his attempt is saved by Williamson.

37: Seconds later it looks as if Ross Clarke has scored for Crusaders, getting a toe to the ball with Turker bearing down, but it trickles just wide of the post through the mud.

HALF TIME: Loughgall 0 -0 Crusaders.

One substitution at the break with Ryan Waide replacing Leon Boyd for Loughgall.

SECOND HALF

50: Adam Lecky flicks on a header in the direction of Paul Heatley but James Carroll makes a timely intervention.

51: GOAL – Loughgall 0 – 1 CRUSADERS (ROSS CLARKE) – After being denied a chance seconds earlier, it’s Philip Lowry who is claiming to have put Crusaders ahead from the corner but looks like the referee says Clarke has scored. Could have been Heatley too – Crues are 1-0 up regardless!

56: Ben Kennedy looks to have doubled Crusaders’ advantage but his shot from distance sails just wide. Crowd thought it was in.

58: Tiernan Kelly is forced off through injury and is replaced by Ally Teggart.

67: Nathaniel Ferris holds the ball up really well before firing a ball into the path of Magee. Jarlath O’Rourke comes across ahead of the Loughgall attacker to clear the danger.

76: Andy Hoey comes on to replace Jamie Rea for Loughgall.

78: Ben Kennedy works some space and gets a shot away which drifts harmlessly wide of the post.

79: Great link-up play between Hoey and Ferris puts Magee in on goal and Williamson produces a fine save. The resulting corner causes a scramble and James Carroll can’t get enough contact to put Loughgall level.

85: Both teams makes subs with Robbie Norton and Caolan McAleer replacing Oran Brogan and Nathaniel Ferris. Stewart Nixon comes on for Ross Clarke.

90: Six minutes of added time.

FULL TIME: Loughgall 0 – 1 Crusaders.