Scorer Jarlath O’Rourke celebrates ‘massive’ win for Crusaders
Jarlath O’Rourke helped to stop the scoring rot for Crusaders by breaking the deadlock on Saturday following four consecutive team goal blanks – with his strike setting up a 4-0 defeat of Loughgall.
O’Rourke made his mark on 74 minutes as the Crues went on to find the net three more times – off Ross Clarke, Jordan Forsythe (penalty) and Stewart Nixon – before the final whistle.
It helped Crusaders get back on track from defeats to Portadown, Dungannon Swifts and Glenavon.
"The last few games we haven't scored but everything seemed to go our way and four different scorers...so, hopefully, that is a sign of things to come," O’Rourke said on BBC Sport NI. "The last three games we haven't played overly bad but we have a lot of confidence to take from that win, it's massive.
"First half was a tough game, going in 0-0 we knew we were in a better position than the last few games where we were 1-0 down.
"We gave ourselves the chance to win it...(the message at half-time) was probably to keep going.
"We played a bit more attacking second half, we missed a couple of chances early on but when we got the first goal it gave us confidence to keep going.”
Loughgall’s search goes on for a second league win to follow on from opening-day delight over Carrick Rangers.
"We need to stick together, keep grinding and the result will come...we are a good team," said Loughgall defender Conor Kerr on BBC Sport NI. "It is early days and it only takes one result.
"We get our next points on the board and go from there.
"It is a good changing room and we drive each other on so the results will come.
"First half we were the better team, we maybe didn't take the chances…second half Crusaders took their chances and we didn't play as well as we did in the first half.
"It is on us players to respond (to 1-0 down) and we maybe didn't respond well enough…that has to change when we go a goal down because we are still in the game."
Crusaders boss Declan Caddell told BBC Sport NI: “The boys kept working and all we needed was that first goal and we kicked on...and it is nice to see different names on the scoresheet.
"First half was even, both teams probably struggled...second half was so much better."