Judiths grabs a hat-trick as side bounce back

Judith Edgar was in fine form and scored a hat-trick.

Lurgan were off the mark within two minutes with Tara McIlwaine slipping the ball across the keeper for Judith to finish. Tara was again the provider on six minutes as she got to the by-line and drew the keeper to the post and fed Judith who forced the ball in.

Captain Gemma McBride changed the pattern with a decisive run down the middle and fired the ball in through Judith Edgar and off a defender for the third on 21 minutes.

Any thoughts of a comeback in the second half were nullified, two minutes in, when Gaby Silcock scored what could be the club’s first ever drag flick high into the right of the net leaving the keeper bemused by the unexpected tactic.

Despite the heat the Seconds were still full of running. Julie Morrow as covering huge acreage and was shutting down any hint of a Vics’ attack. She gathered the ball on halfway on the 14th minute and found space and a pass to Sarah Denver. Sarah played the square ball to Julia Kennedy who fed the ball into the circle where Judith Edgar slotted the ball under the keeper for her third and a superb team fifth.

The defensive partnership of Louise Curry and Clara Lennon was paying dividends both by shutting down any attack in the centre and in giving each other faith to go forward. Louise took advantage of this with an exciting solo run from inside her own half to the edge of the circle where she cracked home a cannon of a shot on the 22nd minute.

Julie Morrow finished the day off with a just reward for her hard work when she pounced on a save from the keeper after a Gaby dad sent in a high drag penalty flick.

With so many changes from last season the result will give confidence to players and coaches that they can go on to make an effective league challenge.