Linfield 4-2 Glentoran
Linfield had to overcome a battling Glentoran side as the league leaders won a dramatic Big Two derby 4-2 at Windsor Park.
Jordan Stewart's penalty and a Calum Burney own goal had put David Healy's side into a commanding lead at the break, but a quickfire Glens double from Curtis Allen and Robbie McDaid tied the game early in the second half.
Linfield right back Chris Casement scored the winning goal, before Joe Crowe was sent off for the visitors, and Michael O'Connor added a late 4th for the Blues.
Before their first half spot-kick was awarded, the ref turned away a huge Linfield appeal in just the 5th minute. Joel Cooper saw his shot saved, and when Stewart collected the ball and casually dummied Birney, the Glentoran captain cut him down, and Steven Gregg waved play on.
Just 3 minutes later the ref made another poor decision, opting to book Nathan Kerr for a foul on Cooper, calling back the play rather than allowing the advantage to flow as the Linfield man surged into the box.
With 37 minutes played, the referee this time chose to award the Blues a penalty after Joe Crowe hauled down Josh Robinson, getting himself booked as the Glens failed to handle a Niall Quinn corner.
Up stepped former Glen man Jordan Stewart to emphatically slam the penalty into the net, sending Dwayne Nelson the wrong way to score his 8th league goal in 9 games.
4 minutes later, the home side took control when Kirk Millar fizzed in a cross from the right with Birney desperately trying to get in front of Andy Waterworth, only to divert the ball into the bottom corner of his own net to double the Linfield lead.
Glentoran began the second half with a new lease of life, and it took only 8 minutes for Curtis Allen to grab a goal that had been coming. Christopher Gallagher slung the ball in from the left, and the striker nipped in to poke the ball beyond Gareth Deane from close range.
With confidence flowing, the Glens quickly drew level as Gallagher again crossed for Allen from the left. This time, his diving header was saved by Deane, but David McDaid was on hand to tap home an equaliser in the 56th minute.
Linfield were up against it, and continued to find themselves under pressure until the 70th minute. David Healy threw on Michael O'Connor and Daniel Kearns, and it was the winger who set up their third.
With 74 played, he collected a pass from wide from Waterworth, pulling it back for fullback Chris Casement, who had surged forward to finish well with his left foot. With the momentum fully back in favour of the Blues, Glentoran were reduced to 10 men as Crowe was shown his second yellow for a foul on O'Connor.
The big striker then had the final say, as he reacted quickest after Stewart's shot was saved to lash a loose ball into the net for Linfield's 4th goal in the 86th minute.