Knockbreda 0
Limavady Ladies 5
Limavady Ladies travelled to Knockbreda in a Davisons Frudles NIWFA Division 1 match on Wednesday night looking to keep their push for the league title on track. The two sides started the game at a quick pace with some long range shots testing both goalkeepers. Knockbreda made the first real threat to opening the scoring soon after when their striker found herself one on one with Limavady’s goalkeeper, Sarah Lemon, forcing her to make a save at her near post. As Knockbreda pushed forward, Limavady’s defence stood firm. Kim Middleton was the scourge of Knockbreda’s strikers, time and again, being first to cut out any through-balls that came her way, whilst Karen McAllister marshalled her back four, keeping their shape and managing to turn defence into attack in a split second. After twenty minutes of play Limavady’s Karen Haslett burst down the right wing to deliver a fizzing cross into the box finding Orla Boyle whose first time volley was blocked by the quick reflexes of the Knockbreda goalkeeper. Five minutes later Limavady made the breakthrough. A free kick on the half way line was taken quickly by Karen McAllister, who found Amy Lee McIvor forty yards out from goal. With one look up she sunk her laces through the ball and let fly. With the Knockbreda goalkeeper caught off her guard, the ball found its way into the back of the net, 1-0 to Limavady. Both teams spent the remainder of the half wearing each other down, with Knockbreda trying hard to find an equaliser. The home side got the ball on the ground and made some neat passing between each other, gradually moving up field. Once again it was Limavady’s back four that stood in the way, with Karen McAllister winning a well timed challenge on the edge of her box before spinning around and calmly walking the ball out of defence. Knockbreda started the second half the brightest when their midfielder released a shot from 20 yards out, but Sara Lemon was equal to it smothering the shot. Around the hour mark, Knockbreda were forced to play with ten players, as their winger received treatment to a shin injury and it was during this period that Limavady chose to take control of the game. They did it in emphatic style with striker Louise McAllister grabbing three goals in six minutes. The first came, when McAllister found strike partner Carole Cooke who weighted her return ball perfectly, giving McAllister the simple job of slotting the ball home from 10 yards. Straight from Knockbreda’s kick off Limavady gained possession and Karen Haslett once again powered her way down the right wing before crossing the ball deep into the penalty area. McAllister arrived right on cue and, after first cushioning the ball, lofted it over the stranded goalkeeper for her second goal in as many minutes. With Knockbreda still down to ten players, Limavady went in for the kill. The ball found its way to the edge of the Knockbreda box, with no immediate danger. However the prowling McAllister rushed in and after winning a fifty-fifty ball, smashed it into the back of the net for 4-0. Knockbreda, having conceded in such a fashion failed to find their way after that and Limavady continued to press forward. The scoring finished the way it started, when Amy Lee McIvor found the ball at her feet 35 yards out from goal. Again, after looking up and spotting the goalkeeper off her line, she released a shot that looped up in the air before dipping just in time to make 5-0. Knockbreda remained positive at the end and created some more good play off their own that could have got them a result had it been another match. Unfortunately they came up against a well-balanced Limavady side, whose ruthless and lethal finishing at one end was matched by their disciplined and water-tight defending at the other.
Karen McAlliser
Limavady Ladies
