Julie Nelson nets late leveller for Crusaders against Linfield Ladies

Crusaders Strikers hold Linfield Ladies
Photo: Ephy McConnell

A late free-kick from Julie Nelson earned a point for Crusaders Strikers at home to Linfield in Wednesday’s Danske Bank Women’s Premiership clash at Seaview.

Mid-Ulster 1-3 Glentoran
Cliftonville 6-0 Derry City
Crusaders Strikers 1-1 Linfield
Lisburn 1-5 Sion Swifts

Rebecca Bassett had given the Blues a first-half lead but Nelson’s strike with nine minutes left on the clock ensured the points were shared between the two sides – who each made winning starts to the league last week.

Crusaders Strikers hold Linfield Ladies
Photo: Ephy McConnell

Two goals apiece from Marissa Callaghan and Caitlin McGuinness helped propel title hopefuls Cliftonville to a six-goal home win over Derry City.

Three goals in the space of seven early first half minutes put the Reds in control as Northern Ireland international trio Danielle Maxwell, Toni Leigh Finnegan and Callaghan all found the net.

McGuinness added a fourth goals 12 minutes after the break and the Reds again found the net soon after as Callaghan added a fifth on the hour mark with McGuinness grabbing her second and the home side’s sixth late on to complete the win.

Sion Swifts had too much for newly-promoted Lisburn, with four goals in the space of 16 first half minutes killing the tie as a contest in a 5-1 triumph.

Claire Rooney’s early own goal after Naomi McLaughlin’s free-kick came back off the post opened the scoring before Naomi Donnan, Caoirse Doherty and Cora Chambers all found the net.

Chambers added her second and Sion’s fifth with 12 minutes remaining with a calm and composed finish after rounding Lisburn goalkeeper Jessica Poots.

Stacey Murdough pulled a deserved consolation goal back for the hosts in injury time, doing well to hold off defensive challenges before finding the net.

Cliftonville now join Glentoran as the early league leaders with six points apiece from their opening two games, after the Glens won 3-1 at Mid Ulster Ladies on Monday.

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