ST JOHN’S Ladies halted First Tower’s unbeaten run – and maintained their own – in the Ladies Coca-Cola Combination on Sunday with a 3-2 win that takes them six points clear.

Despite the very heavy conditions, the two top sides in the league put on a tremendous performance, the Saints taking the lead from a Chrissie Hefford goal after she beat a Tower defender.

Bev Luton, in the St John goal, pulled off several good saves before Tower levelled from a penalty, awarded after Luton was judged to have brought down a Tower forward.

Tower scored again after the break, with a cracking 30-yard shot from Lisa McLaughlin into the top left corner.

Nina Woods and Becky Darts were playing a superb game, as they dominated the midfield, and it was Darts who equalised for Saints, and Lori Moran who scored their third, 15 minutes from time.

St John’s manager Jayson Lee said: ‘This was another big day for St John and all credit to Tower, they have set the standard in this league for more than a year.

But we’ve worked hard and I believe we have raised the standard, which can only be good for ladies’ football.’ Geoff Van Der Vliet, manager of First Tower ladies, said: ‘It was a great match.

There are only two or three teams in the league where you’d get a game like that in the season, and both sides really battled hard.

‘I think if we’d hung on to the lead for a bit longer after we went ahead, we’d have won it, but St John were working so hard, they deserved the victory.

‘The girls were very disappointed to lose their unbeaten run – they haven’t lost since the Upton last April – but they’re a young side, and relatively inexperienced, so they’ll learn from losing.

I think we’re due to play the return match as the last of the season, so if both teams continue to play as they have, the last match will be one to really look forward to.’ Elsewhere, St Paul’s thrashed St Brelade 8-0.

St Paul’s scorers were Suzanne Rosser (5) and Gemma Daniel (3).