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A hat-trick from striker Philippa Toal helped the Lakers gain all three points in their first competitive league game of the season.
The game kicked off at a high tempo with Loughgall dominating the play. Immediately a chance was created when Esther Irwin played the ball into the path of Rebecca Capper, but the striker saw her shot well blocked by a Dromore defender.
Soon after the Lakers scored their first of the game when Philippa Toal skilfully controlled the ball before laying it off to Sabrina Campbell. The speedy winger took her marker on before turning on the edge of the box and unleashing a powerful strike into the top corner of the net. Dromore equalised within the next five minutes when a defensive mistake allowed them a clear shot on goal. The second goal for the Lakers came with Toal again turning provider. The striker beat a player wide on the left before squaring the ball across to an unmarked Amy McCallister to fire home.
Toal then got her name on the scoresheet when Capper’s shot from the right came back off the post and into her path to slide in.
Two further goals were added in quick succession with the first coming from Capper. An excellent through ball from Brooke Jordan released the striker, where she beat two players before rifling the ball into the top corner. Toal then scored her second of the game when she controlled and beat a player before side footing past the ‘keeper, following a long searching ball sent in by Capper. Against the run of play, Dromore pulled another one back from a corner. An inviting cross was swung in and when the Lakers failed to clear, a Dromore striker slid in to make it 5 – 2 just before half time.
The second half proved to be a more even affair with Dromore beginning to create several chances. It took some timely tackles from Claire Rooney and Lynne Ervine in the middle of defence to thwart some attacks and Michelle Stephens pulled off some excellent saves in goal.
An impressive bit of attacking play from Dromore ended with them scoring their third goal after some confusion in the Lakers defence. A burst through midfield from Kerry Teggart took her past five players before she was able to place the ball past Stephens in goal. This seemed to waken the Lakers up and the response was almost immediate. Rooney made a vital tackle in defence and sent a superb ball forward to release Toal in on goal. The striker used her pace to beat the opposition to the ball, before composing herself to send the ball into the roof of the net to score her hat trick. Straight after this Loughgall had a further chance to extend their lead, however, Campbell was unlucky to see her effort hit the outside of the post.
Dromore pulled another goal back right at the end but it wasn’t enough on a night that Loughgall played some very impressive football. |
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