Glentoran went sole top of the Sports Direct Women’s Premiership tonight with another comfortable and big win that maintained the Glens’ 100% start to the season after six games.
The Glens made five changes from Friday’s home win over Lisburn Ladies, most notably Sarah Tweedie and Jenna McKearney given their chance in the full back positions. Ellie Scott, Joely Andrews and Kerry Beattie also returned. Nadene Caldwell captained a starting line-up that really demonstrated Glentoran’s strength in depth this season.
Beattie and Emily Wilson had the Glens two up in a minute. First Kerry broke the deadlock with a header on 17 minutes then almost immediately Caragh Hamilton got to the touchline and her pullback was comfortably finished by her Northern Ireland team mate Wilson. There were two more in the minutes leading up to the break. Tour third came from Hamilton herself, who finished well from a Demi Vance Corner, then Kerry Beattie got her second of the night with a deflected shot.
Sarah Tweedie got in on the act after 58 minutes with a quality right foot volley from inside the box, then midfielder Chloe McCarron made it six with a strike from inside the box.
There was no way Ulster Player of the Year Joely Andrews was going to stay off the scoresheet and on minutes she met a diagonal ball from Vance with a delightful touch and finish.
The scoring concluded in the final two minutes when firstly Kerry Beattie completed her hat trick with a swivel and shot from a ball from Kascie Weir, an assist for Weir just eight minutes after coming on to make her competitive debut, Then in the final minute seventeen year old Rachel McIntyre, establishing herself well as a senior squad member this season, scored her first senior goal from a Beattie assist.
So Kerry Beattie and Caragh Hamilton maintained their record of scoring in every game so far this season and on 11 and 9 respectively sit at the top of the league goalscorers list. Also first senior team competitive goals from Sarah Tweedie and Rachel McIntyre and a first team debut for Kascie Weir. Exciting times for Glentoran Women
The Glens are now 3 points ahead of Cliftonville and with a better goal difference of eight, although the Reds have a game in hand. Next game therefore is a big one as first and second face each other at Solitude on Friday 2nd June (Kick Off 7.45pm). Don’t miss that. The girls would love your support.
Glentoran Women: Ellie Scott, Sarah Tweedie, Jenna McKearney, Emma McMaster, Demi Vance, Nadene Caldwell(c), Chloe McCarron, Caragh Hamilton, Joely Andrews, Kerry Beattie, Emily Wilson
Subs: Ashleigh McKinnon, Annie Timoney (for Tweedie 58), Jess Foy (for McKearney 58), Rachel Rogan (for McMaster 64), Rachel McIntyre (for Wilson 80), Kascie Weir (for Hamilton 80)
Photography by Johnny Caldwell
