Crusaders1–0Ballymena United

A stunning Kieran Offord overhead kick was enough to deny Ballymena United taking anything home from Seaview as they came out on the wrong side of a 1-0 defeat to Crusaders on Saturday afternoon.

Injuries and suspensions in the middle of park forced United into a reshuffle without Aaron Jarvis and Josh Carson, as Oisin Devlin and Stephen O'Donnell came in. Those changes contributed to a switch around at the back as Donal Rocks came into midfield, seeing Sean Brown and Kym Nelson operating as the full backs.

Keen to bounce back from last week's derby day loss, the visitors started well in North Belfast. Inside four minutes, Daithi McCallion's long ball found its way to Ben Kennedy who brought it down well so he could get a shot away inside the box, but Jonny Tuffey was out well to save. Not long after, Ballymena went close again when a looping O'Donnell header from a corner went just wide, but seconds later from the goal kick it was almost 1-0 to the hosts. One ball over the top sent Kieran Offord racing clear towards Sean O'Neill, but he fired his strike off the outside of the near post.

After that busy opening ten minutes, the rest of the half was a quieter affair that had little chances and little to split the sides, with the defences very much on top. A piece of clever play almost had Ballymena in front when a quick free kick from Brown caught out everyone bar Kennedy, but after he latched on it and neatly finished, any celebrations were abruptly ended by an offside flag. The only other real chance of note in the final twenty odd minutes also came the away side's way, when some decent combinations down the right allowed Andy Scott in, but from a tight angle his strike was parried wide by Tuffey.

Crusaders finished the half the stronger, but a number of crosses from either open play or set pieces were almost all dealt with by O'Neill or a man in sky blue, as a tight half of football probably fairly ended scoreless.

The second half was a slow burner from the off, but despite the lack of chances it was a half that Crusaders assumed large control of. After threatening to threaten for a while, the Crues went close when Johnny McMurray was caught out hesitating close to the ball well inside his own half. That allowed Jacob Blaney to steal the ball and stand a cross up for Harry Franklin at the back post, but his header was wonderfully tipped over the crossbar by O'Neill.

Franklin's chance was the start of a flurry of activity in and around the United box, as the Braidmen began to ride their luck a little. Jordan Stewart was a threat on the left and when he picked out Jarlath O'Rourke just outside the box, he rattled an effort off the crossbar as the hosts hit the woodwork for a second time.

O'Rourke had gone close on sixty-two minutes and a minute later Kennedy called Tuffey into an easy save from a long way out in what was United's first attempt of any kind in the second period, but a minute on from that Crusaders went ahead in style. A long ball switched across to the right found Blaney, whose tidy backheel found Ross Clarke, but the best was to come when Clarke's first time cross was met by a spectacular overhead kick from Kieran Offord that nestled into the bottom corner.

Offord's goal prompted a response from the United bench as Ethan Devine and Joe Moore were introduced, swiftly followed by Alex Gawne, as Ballymena looked to get something going. That said, Jordan Forsythe nearly put Crusaders two up when he found space on the edge of the box, but his shot was flashed wide.

After a lull in the game with Crusaders comfortable with what they had, the final ten minutes brought about a late Ballymena offensive as they looked to draw level. O'Donnell looped another header over, before Kym Nelson headed over from close range. In five minutes of added time, Ballymena almost grabbed a point with the final kick of the game. A cross found Devine in the box and after he finally sorted his feet, he blazed over the bar as United fell to back to back defeats, in a game they probably feel they could've worked Tuffey more in, but were ultimately done by a wondergoal.