Mossley YM 1-4 Crumlin Star
The Star faced a very tough game away to Mossley on Saturday. It was a game which the management team singled out that would be a massive stepping stone in the Stars quest for the title and the players didn't let them down.
The first half was a pretty even encounter with both sides not giving much away but it was the Star who opened the scoring through Ciaran Reid in the 15th minute. From a free kick out by the touchline Sean Brown & Reid worked a smart move which caught the home side napping and it was the latter who cut in on goal and fired an unstoppable shot into the top corner.
The home side responded well and put the Star under some pressure which eventually paid of when their captain turned Seamy Nellis at the edge if the box and with the aid of a slight deflection of Nellis's boot the ball shot right into the bottom corner of Thompsons net.
It was now up to the Star to raise their game and that they did as Gormely started to give their defence all sorts of problems with his skill and pace. In fact it was Gormley who carved out the best opportunity of the half when he easily beat his marker in the box and pulled it back to Nellis but unfortunately his shot went well over the bar when it looked easier to score.
H/T 1-1
After a stern talking to at half time the Star players went out determined to get the three valuable points and within ten minutes of the restart found themselves 3-1 up to the good. The Ardoyne side took the lead when the impressive McAlea crossed for Gormley to make it 2-1 with a close range finish and then Gormley turned provider when he left three defenders in his wake and cut the ball back to his strike partner Paul Brown for an easy tap in.
This knocked the heart out of the home side as they new it was nearly an impossible task of getting through the Stars stubborn defence with Berne & Burns connecting brilliantly in the middle.
The final goal of the game was created by a piece of brilliance from Paul Brown when he flicked the ball up for himself to attempt an over head kick but after the Mossley keeper made a fine save he hauled down Gormley for a certain penalty. Gormley then stepped up to send the keeper the wrong way to make it an emphatic 4-1 win for the league leaders.
Next week the Star will play 18th Newtonabby at Solitude in a league fixture.
Civil Service 2-4 Crumlin Star
The Star faced third from bottom Civil Service over in East Belfast last week in a sun soaked Houston Park.
The league leaders went 1-0 up early on when Gormley was upended in the box and the reliable Sean Brown stepped up to send the keeper the wrong way to open the scoring.
Soon enough it was 2-0 when Gormley found space in the area and fired a low shot past the home sides number one. It was the Stars 100th goal In the league this season and it was only fitting that prolific striker Gormley scored it.
Midway through the half Gormley got his second and the Stars third of the day when he finished well from a Reid corner.
The Star seemed to stop after the third goal, as their passing got very lacklustre which resulted in the home side grabbing a goal back just before the break after a tidy finish from their centre forward.
H/T 1-3
The sloppiness crept into the Stars game once again at the beginning of the second period and to the Stars dismay Civil pulled another goal back when their winger broke the offside trap to raced through and put the ball between the legs of Largey and into the net.
The Ardoyne men then got their act together and played some nice football with Gormley always at the heart of the action.
In the 75th minute Gormley did put the game to bed when Braniff put him through on goal and with a delicate chip he lifted the ball over the oncoming keeper and into the empty net.
