Ballymena 3-0 Crusaders

By Alex Keery, sports reporter

2nd half goals by McCloskey and Friel (2) made the difference as Crusaders were knocked off the top of the table because of Linfield’s 5-1 victory at Coleraine.

After a scrappy opening, the visitors created the first chance at the Showgrounds.

In the 12th minute Craig McClean swung in a free kick from around 40 yards out in a central position, which was met by the head of Jordan Owens who had escaped his marker at the back post. Ross Glendinning did well to block his effort from close range and send it wide for a corner.

The home side were causing trouble with the pace of Cathair Friel running behind the Crusaders’ defence, but their first real chance came from a set piece as Jonathan McMurray thumped over a header after a corner by Conor McCloskey.

10 minutes before the break, a defensive mix-up among the Crues saw McMurray beat goalkeeper Sean O’Neill to the ball on the edge of the box. He poked it through to Friel, but a heavy touch meant his final effort was from a narrow angle, and he could only hit the post.

McMurray caught O’Neill off guard with a long range dipping volley in the 43rd minute. The Crusaders captain bundled it back into the box, and when it looked like Friel would race in for a tap-in, his shot was blocked.

Crusaders should have taken the lead early in the opening minute of the second half when Gavin Whyte raced clear, but his tame finish was hit straight at Glendinning.

2 minutes later, Paul Heatley skipped past several challenges and looked primed to pull it back onto the 6 yard line, but Glendinning again got down low to smother the ball.

Heatley had another chance on the hour, volleying at Glendinning after chasing Owens’ hooked pass over the top.

Ballymena always looked dangerous on the counter, and took a deserved lead in the 71st minute, cleverly working space down the left before the ball was rolled back into the box into the path of McCloskey who slammed a finish high into the net.

Crusaders nearly pulled level within minutes as subs Suarez and Cushley combined – but Allan Jenkins intervened to prevent a certain equaliser.

In the 85th minute, Ballymena took a 2-0 lead and wrapped things up. Jonathan McMurray had squandered a chance just minutes earlier and been given a talking to by Sky Blues boss David Jeffrey. With Crusaders playing the ball back to O’Neill, he was put under huge pressure by McMurray who slid in to dispossess the keeper. The ball broke to Cathair Friel who rolled the ball into an empty net from 30 yards.

In added time McMurray again raced clear down the right and pulled it back centrally for Friel to finish calmly to make it 3-0, and very possibly send the Gibson Cup to Windsor Park.