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Highlights: Crusaders 1-2 Limavady United

ByStephen Alexander
BBC Sport NI contributor

Limavady United claimed their first points since their promotion to the Irish Premiership with a 2-1 win over Crusaders at Seaview.

Former Crues favourite Philip Lowry put the visitors ahead in the first half before Jamie McGonigle doubled their advantage early in the second period.

Elliot Dunlop cut inside to curl a spectacular goal to give Crusaders hope with 20 minutes left.

Harry Jewitt-White hit the crossbar with a long-range strike for Crusaders in the closing stages but the Shore Road side couldn't salvage their unbeaten home start to the league campaign.

Crusaders looked a threat from wide areas in the early stages but Limavady were able to soak up the pressure and the visitors then struck to great effect on 28 minutes.

On-loan Alfie Gaston did brilliantly to get to the bye-line before cutting the ball back for Lowry to make a trademark run into the penalty area to steer home a volley via the inside of the post.

The visitors doubled their advantage four minutes after the interval when Crusaders defender Ryan McKay gave away possession deep inside his own half with Adam Mullan feeding Lowry whose first time cross was controlled by Jamie McGonigle.

The striker then showed good strength to hold off Kurtis Forsythe before firing past Shea Callister from close range.

Crusaders got back into the game on 68 minutes with a superb individual goal from Dunlop who cut inside from the left hand corner of the penalty area and curled a shot beyond the grasp of goalkeeper Marty Gallagher.

Limavady missed a gilt-edged chance to wrap up victory when Gaston exchanged passes with Lowry and weaved his way into the penalty area only to shoot tamely at Callister.

Crusaders came within inches of levelling in the closing minutes as Jewitt-White's deflected long-range strike crashed off the Limavady crossbar with keeper Gallagher beaten but Crusaders couldn't fashion an equaliser.

What the managers said

Crusaders manager Declan Caddell: "I thought the majority of the game we had the ball and did nothing with it.

"It looked like we had no ideas, we moved it too slow and credit to Limavady but today we were really, really flat.

"We were really slow with the ball, really predictable and it played into Limavady's hands. The bottom line is we didn't do enough today."

Limavady United manager Paul Owens: "We've been very lucky at this club over recent years that we haven't lost too many games so the last four weeks has been a bit hard to take, mentally and physically.

"After every defeat there have been wee bits we've tried to improve and I do feel we have improved every week. I was convinced that our front players would come to the party and finally today they did..

"We had a lovely shape about us and we just tried to be a wee bit more aggressive in the final third and we looked really threatening on the break."