Q Radio Sport
Glentoran Women moved four points clear of Cliftonville Ladies at the top of the Danske Bank Women’s Premiership with a 4-0 win in their top-of-the-table clash at Solitude.
The Reds still have two games in hand over the current champions, but the Glens secured the statement victory with a commanding triumph in North Belfast.
Lauren Wade opened the scoring in the fifth minute before goals from Glens legend Kelly Bailie and Northern Ireland international midfielder Nadene Caldwell put the outcome beyond doubt.
The Glens were then awarded two late penalties; Caldwell’s first effort was unsuccessful but captain Jess Foy - at the second attempt, after having her first spot kick retaken due to encroachment - converted minutes later to add a fourth goal.
Kelly Bailie - still going strong
Elsewhere, Crusaders Strikers strengthened their grip on third place with a two-goal victory in Strabane over Sion Swifts Ladies.
The result moves the Crues six points clear of Sion - who have played a game more - with an unfortunate own goal from Leah McGonagle opening the scoring in the 56th minute.
The Strikers - being coached for the first time by Jonathan Tuffey after Spike Hill’s exit earlier this week - doubled their lead midway through the second half from Amy McGivern to earn an impressive win.
Elsewhere, Linfield Ladies emphatically ended their run of defeats with a 6-1 victory at basement side Derry City Women as teenage winger Keri Halliday netted a hat-trick.
Halliday - a 16-year-old making her first start for the club since joining from Ballymoney United - stole the headlines with her sensational treble, as striker Rebecca Bassett also bagged a brace.
Paula McGrory had netted for the Candystripes early in the second half but the result was put beyond any doubt in the 77th minute when Sienna Leckey added a fifth for Phil Lewis’s side before Halliday completed the win in injury time with her third and the Blues' sixth.
FT: #DanskeWomensPrem@CVilleLadiesFC 0 @GlentoranWomen 4
— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) August 4, 2021
Wade, Bailie, Caldwell, Foy
@SionSwiftsLFC 0@CruesStrikers 2
@derrycityfcw 1@LinfieldLadies 6
Glens 4 clear. Reds 2 games in hand. Fascinating title race take new twist. Pics: CSX Sports/Chris Scott pic.twitter.com/pSOjKSeOZp
Cliftonville Ladies 0-4 Glentoran Women (Wade ‘5, Bailie ’71, Caldwell ’84, Foy pen ‘90)
Derry City Women 1-6 Linfield Ladies (McGrory ’49; Bassett ’31, ’43, Halliday ’39, ’63, ’90, S Leckey ‘77)
Sion Swifts Ladies 0-2 Crusaders Strikers (McGonagle own goal ’56, McGivern ’62)
