THERE’S a three-way tie at the top of the Sports Direct Women’s Premiership following Friday night victories for both Glentoran Women and Lisburn Rangers. The pair join Cliftonville Ladies – on a rest week – on 12 points after four games apiece in what is already starting to develop into an intriguing battle at the top.
There were also comprehensive wins for Linfield Women and Larne Women over Crusaders Strikers and Mid Ulster Ladies respectively. Glentoran Women moved back to the summit following a 7-1 defeat of Derry City Women at the Blanchflower Stadium, with Kerry Beattie helping herself to a hat-trick along the way.
She opened the scoring for the defending champions from the edge of the area after just seven minutes, with Chloe McCarron doubling up a few moments later. Beattie struck again with just under a quarter-of-an-hour on the clock, before Joely Andrews knocked home a fourth 10 minutes after that. Emily Wilson got in on the act in the latter stages of the first half with Beattie then popping up early in the second period to lay claim to the match ball.
Wilson then added to the scoreline on the hour with a stunning strike while the Candystripes bagged a stoppage time consolation through Chelsea Scott.
By contrast, Lisburn Rangers needed just one goal to get the better of Lisburn Ladies in the derby at the Bluebell Stadium. Rangers maintained their perfect start to life in the top flight thanks to Faye Loughran’s finish right on the stroke of half-time.
Linfield Women rediscovered their winning touch after hitting five goals without reply past Crusaders Strikers at Midgley Park. Eve Reilly was the star of the show with a superb hat-trick after opening the scoring on 14 minutes, doubling up just after the half-hour mark and bagging her third in stoppage time.
A Julie Nelson own goal midway through the second half added to Linfield’s lead, with Zoe Knox also getting on the scoresheet late on.
Larne picked up their first win of the campaign with a seven goal haul at home to Mid Ulster Ladies. Hollie Johnston broke the deadlock on 24 minutes following a goalmouth scramble, with Melissa Storey and Kate Nicolson also registering before the break. Nicolson knocked home her second of the night not long after the interval, with Erin Montgomery firing number five into the top corner from the edge of the box a little while later. Johnston then hit her second on 78 minutes, with Ella Parker wrapping things up right at the end.
HOW THEY STAND AT THE TOP
