Teegan Lynch Cliftonville goal celebration
The first round of Sports Direct Women’s Premiership split fixtures produced Friday night victories for Cliftonville Ladies, Crusaders Strikers and Lisburn Ladies.
Cliftonville defeated Linfield Women at Solitude to move back to the top of the table.
All the scoring came in the first half with the Reds moving in front after just five minutes when Teegan Lynch hooked a shot home from just outside the six yard box.
Linfield hit back just before the half-hour mark through Rhianna Breen after the ball fell for her to find the net.
Marissa Callaghan restored home advantage just before the break with a superb effort over the head of the keeper from fully 30 yards.
In Section B Crusaders came from behind to defeat Larne Women by the odd goal in five at Seaview.
Aimee-Lee Peachey fired the visitors in front against one of her former clubs with barely a minute on the clock but Michelle McDaid hit back to level for the Crues midway through the first half.
Caitlyn Hamilton then edged the home side in front not long after the break but Eimear Ward brought Larne back onto level terms on 69 minutes.
However the points were to stay in north Belfast when, with eight minutes to go, Rachel McLaren knocked home what proved to be the winner.
Lisburn Ladies travelled to the Brandywell to get the better of Derry City Women.
Jessica Hall edged the visitors in front from the spot after 20 minutes before Tara O’Connor-Farren levelled for the Candystripes four minutes from the break.
Ella Parker restored Lisburn’s advantage just a couple of minutes after that, which was how it stayed until Sidra Younes Alsaidi wrapped the scoring up deep into stoppage time at the end of the game.
The action continues on Sunday afternoon when Glentoran Women host Lisburn Rangers at the Blanchflower Stadium, kick-off 4.00pm.
Linfield equaliser from Rhianna Breen
Brandywell action
Section A
| POS | TEAM | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | PTS | FORM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cliftonville Ladies | 15 | 13 | 1 | 1 | 44 | 7 | 37 | 40 | WWWWW |
| 2 | Glentoran Women | 14 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 57 | 10 | 47 | 39 | WWWWW |
| 3 | Linfield Women | 15 | 10 | 1 | 4 | 60 | 21 | 39 | 31 | WWLLL |
| 4 | Lisburn Rangers | 14 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 24 | 26 | -2 | 21 | LLLLW |
Section B
| POS | TEAM | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | PTS | FORM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Crusaders Strikers | 15 | 7 | 0 | 8 | 27 | 39 | -12 | 21 | LWLWW |
| 6 | Derry City Women | 15 | 4 | 0 | 11 | 18 | 38 | -20 | 12 | LLWLL |
| 7 | Lisburn Ladies | 15 | 2 | 1 | 12 | 8 | 45 | -37 | 7 | LLDLW |
| 8 | Larne Women | 15 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 12 | 64 | -52 | 4 | WLDLL |
