OFFORD AT THE DOUBLE FOR CRUES
Kieran Offord bagged both goals as Crusaders defeated Cliftonville at Seaview.
The first half was a relatively low key affair. Both sides had their chances during the opening minutes when Joe Gormley and Kieran Offord had efforts from distance but both failed to hit the target.
Indeed, the best chance of the first half came right at the end when Jordan Forsythe picked out Jarlath O'Rourke who, in turn, cut the ball back for Jordan Stewart but he couldn't direct his effort on target.
It took the Crues only moments after the interval to find a way through. Stewart almost found the net himself with a thunderous effort off the crossbar from around 30 yards with Kieran Offord on hand to slide home the rebound.
Then, on 50 minutes, Offord doubled his tally with a back post header after Harry Jewitt-White had sent the ball back in after Ross Clarke's initial cross was only partially cleared.
The Reds might have pulled one back immediately when Rory Hale had a go with a half-volley but he could only direct the ball over the top.
Crues keeper Jonny Tuffey was then called into action to tip another Gormley effort over the bar while, from the corner that followed, Hale couldn't force the ball over the line from Michael Newberry's header across goal.
Crusaders: Tuffey, Callacher, Lowry, Jewitt-White, Stewart, Forsythe, O’Rourke, Offord, Larmour, Smith, Clarke subs Kerr, Weir, Williamson, Owens, Nixon, Barr, Downey
Cliftonville: Ridd, Addis, Newberry, Kearney, Hale, Curran, Piesold, Gormley, Glynn, Wilson, Steven subs Odumosu, Pepper, Pettifer, Doherty, Markey, Corrigan, Madden