Yet another hat trick from the league’s top scorer Kerry Beattie led the way at Ashfield as Glentoran Women overcame third placed Sion to maintain their 3-point lead at the top of the Sports Direct Women’s Premiership with five games left to play.
With an unchanged starting 11 from last week’s cup win at Lisburn, the Glens took at early lead in the first minute when Beattie finished off a pass from Emily Wilson. Two minutes later Beattie got her second to extend the lead.
An eventful first spell continued as any ideas of a Glentoran steamroller were jolted on 11 minutes when Zoe McGlynn halved the lead. 2-1 and game on.
There were no more goals in the first half but it ended on a sour note for Sion 2 minutes before the break when Cora Chambers was shown a red card for dissent.
Any Glentoran supporter nerves were eased on 50 minutes when Emma McMaster was on hand to hammer home from a corner to restore the home side’s 2 goal lead.
Beattie completed the scoring, her own hat trick and her 28th goal of the season with 2 minutes to go.
So the Glens stay top. Next up is a second visit to Lisburn in three weeks when the girls face Lisburn Ladies next Friday (1st September).
Glentoran Women: Ellie Scott, Sarah Tweedie, Jess Foy (c), Emma McMaster, Annie Timoney, Nadene Caldwell, Demi Vance, Chloe McCarron, Joely Andrews, Kerry Beattie, Emily Wilson
Subs: Ashleigh McKinnon, Jenna McKearney (for Tweedie 63), Kelly Bailie (for Timoney 73), Maeve McConaghy (for McCarron 85)
Photography by Johnny Caldwell
