Linfield close gap as Reds and Ports also win

Calumn Morrison scored twice as Linfield defeated Crusaders 4-0 at Windsor Park on Saturday to make up ground on Irish Premiership pacesetters Larne and Coleraine.

A Lewis Barr own goal and Matthew Fitzpatrick provided the other goals for the champions, who move to within seven points of the leading two clubs, with games in hand over both.

David Healy’s side have have played three games fewer than Coleraine and one less than Larne.

Jack Keaney was on target twice as Cliftonville went fifth in the table with a 5-2 victory over bottom club Glenavon, despite the hosts having Odhran Casey sent-off for a second yellow card offence early in the second half.

Sean McAllister grabbed a double as Dungannon Swifts drew 3-3 with Carrick Rangers at Taylors Avenue.

Linfield went in front inside the opening five minutes when Kirk Millar’s corner was inadvertently diverted into his own net by Crusaders defender Barr.

Crusaders came close to an equaliser when Adam Brooks teed up Fraser Bryden but his low shot was well saved by Chris Johns.

Instead it was the home side who doubled their lead on 21 minutes when Fitzpatrick met Ethan McGee’s cross with a towering header at the back post.

Fitzpatrick almost added another when his header from a Millar corner brought a sharp save from Jonny Tuffey.

But the home side added to their tally five minutes into the second period when Kyle McClean threaded a through ball for Morrison to run on and slip a shot between Tuffey’s legs.

The Scot doubled his tally for the afternoon on 71 minutes when he seized upon a clearance from a Crusaders corner and ran a long distance unchallenged before skipping past Tuffey and rolling the ball into an unguarded net.

Cliftonville got off to a dream start in the third minute at Solitude when Jonny Addis spotted the run of Eric McWoods and the frontman ghosted in behind the Glenavon defence before poking the ball beyond a hesitant Mark Byrne.

The visitors struck back just before the half hour when Paddy Burns played a ball down the left wing, and Jack Malone managed to get on the end of it before chipping past the onrushing PJ Morrison.

Michael O’Connor’s charges edged themselves in front four minutes before the interval when Oran O’Kane’s free-kick was only cleared as far as Bridel Bosakani, who produced a goal of the season contender after his chest-and-volley finish from 25 yards found the back of the net via the far post.

Glenavon’s lead lasted only a matter of minutes when Joe Sheridan picked up possession out left before cutting in and getting the better of substitute goalkeeper Sean Hamill at his near post for his third league goal of the season.

As the half-time whistle approached, the home side regained the lead after neat build-up involving Odhran Casey and Keevan Hawthorne eventually saw the ball fall to Addis, who found the far corner from the edge of the area.

Nine minutes after the restart, the Reds were reduced to ten when Casey was shown a second yellow for a late challenge on Paul McGovern in midfield.

Dungannon got off to a rapid start with an opener after just three minutes thanks to captain Cahal McGinty. Carrick failed to clear a corner and the Swifts captain fired low and hard into the bottom corner to open the scoring.

Following this, neither side really created much although Aidan Steele replaced Joe Crowe early on and was bright. He set up an equaliser just over 10 minutes before half-time as he made a powerful run before slipping in Danny Gibson who finished coolly one-on-one past the onrushing Declan Dunne.

That sent the teams in at the break level, then Rodney McAree introduced Sean McAllister at the break and he would go on to make a big impact on the game.

Having saved Peter Maguire’s effort, Nathan Gartside fouled Danny Wallace inside the box as they went for the rebound and it was McAllister who blasted the penalty straight down the middle.

That was how it stayed until the final quarter of an hour when Gibson beat McGinty out left and picked out an unmarked Paul Heatley who headed level. The game was turned on its head in just four minutes as Steele capitalised on a loose header in his own box from Junior.

With Kearney in the dugout for the first time, Ballymena thought they had opened the scoring in the 15th minute at Shamrock Park. A cross from the left was left by Success Edogun for Daire O’Connor, who beat Aaron McCarey.

However, the flag had already gone up, ending the celebrations of the travelling fans.

James Teelan, who was enjoying a good battle with David Toure on the left flank, delivered Portadown’s first big chance of the game.

His cross in the 20th minute landed in the six-yard-box, but Jordan Gibson, at full stretch, could not get the decisive touch.

The hosts then also had a goal disallowed, Eamon Fyfe delivered a wonderful corner from the left, which looped over Declan Breen into the net.

Celebrations again proved premature however, as referee Declan Hassan spotted a foul on the edge of the box.

Portadown did finally open the scoring 15 minutes from time. A ball was played forward and James Teelan used all of his pace to latch onto the ball.

The winger carried the ball in and finished neatly past Breen in the Ballymena goal, using the outside of his right boot.

Ballymena came close to levelling towards the end of the game when the ball bounced in the box and Success Edogun headed the ball over Aaron McCarey, but the ball was cleared by a Portadown defender off the line.