They are back those one of a kind Hachet men delivering another trophy to their halls at Seaview. After being in a see saw with surprise squad Coleraine, finally for Stephen Baxter and company it is time to lift another trophy.
On their last match of the campaign in the Showgrounds, Crusaders delivered a nice win over Ballymena United, that delivered the long awaited, and much fought off shield that they and the Bannsiders were so deadlock for many weeks.
Still this did not come easy for the now champions in this match considered crucial and interesting that at the end proved well worth the effort delivered by the repeating champions.
As you, recall last campaign meltdown by the Crues when they surrendered the top to a hard pushing Linfield Blues playing a top of the line game of football and delivered them another shield to their halls and claiming those always annoying bragging rights. You recall there is such a friction and contest between these two squads to earn the right to claim Belfast supremacy.
Not this time and despite Coleraine dominance in good part of this campaign, the Crues were keeping pace until these catch up and manager Baxter all around experience paid off in the end for his Boys to deliver in the end.
However not seeing the likes of Linfield this time looking forward to play the role of spoiler as their fourth place finish behind Glenavon by two points, the Blues were out of this for quite some time.
If last campaign the Crusaders would hold off and won the league shield today these would been celebrating their fourth Gibson Cup earned in a straight manner but you now the rest of the story.
Coming to this match both Crues and Bannsiders were locked at 88 points each but the now champions edging Coleraine by a vast goal differential if things would ended in a stalemate but at the end these persevere for a win and netting their seventh shield of the campaign.
Now they are brace for their next challenges of defending their Gibson Cup and looking forward of this time representing the NIFL in the Knockout rounds of the UEFA Champions League to get into the coveted stages group.
As their win at Mourneview Park against a hardened and hard fighting Sky Blues that never gave up on their quest of playing spoilers and netting an upset to Stephen Baxter and company. With a 2-1 win and scores from Phillip Lowry 77 and David Cushley 86 were enough to seal the deal.
As the now, champions are thankful that they had it with them all the time and delivered in the line with a comeback win, despite the local’s early lead in the 60 minute by Cathair Friel.
To conclude this shield be long cherished by the Crues, because it did not come easy and this perseverance delivered them the league top glory in another Gibson Cup, congratulations Crusaders for your seventh shield in your history.
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Photos Credit and Property of © 2017 Northern Ireland Football League
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