Sports Direct Irish Premiership: Blues go top with Windsor win over Cliftonville

Linfield moved three points clear at the top of the Sports Direct Premiership table with a narrow – but deserved – victory at home to Cliftonville.

Chris McKee’s first half strike had put them ahead, and although Luke Turner levelled with 10 minutes remaining, Joel Cooper secured all three points for David Healy’s men.

The result makes it four wins from four for the Windsor Park men – and ends Cliftonville’s record of not having conceded a goal in their first three matches.

Linfield – without the injured Matthew Fitzpatrick - spurned a glorious chance to go in front with less than 90 seconds on the clock.

Jamie Mulgrew pounced on a poor clearance from Cliftonville keeper Nathan Gartside just outside the box. However, the home captain’s effort wasn’t hit with enough venom and Gartside was able to redeem himself with the save.

The visitors – who has their own star striker Joe Gormley unavailable through injury - then tested home keeper Chris Johns in the fourth minute, but he was comfortable grabbing hold on Chris Gallagher’s 30-yard effort.

A relatively tepid first period sprang to life six minutes before the break.

Johns’ attempted pass fell straight to Ronan Doherty, which the midfielder squared to Hale on the edge of the centre circle. With Johns out of his goal, the Reds captain attempted an audacious lob that the keeper looked to have covered. Johns slipped, but somehow managed to scoop the ball over his bar.

With Cliftonville seemingly on top, Linfield hit them with the epitome of a suckerpunch right at the end of the half.

Joel Cooper was alert to steal the ball from Hale inside the centre circle before powering forward. He then slipped it through to McKee inside the box and the striker made it four goals in as many games this season as his goalbound shot took a deflection of Kris Lowe to beat Gartside.

The Blues began the second period much the brighter of the two sides and Gartside had to be alert to smother a Kirk Millar effort from close range before he scrambled Cooper’s follow-up out for a corner. From that corner, the keeper was able to beat away a Daniel Finlayson header.

Cooper then stung the palms of the Cliftonville keeper from 25 yards as the hosts looked to double their lead.

Linfield thought they had doubled their lead with a quarter of an hour to go when Finlayson’s bullet header crashed off the crossbar before Odhran Casey cleared Jack Scott’s rebound off the line.

Cliftonville then levelled with 10 minutes remaining in somewhat scrappy fashion.

Gallagher’s corner to the edge of the box found Ronan Doherty and his mishit shot wasn’t cleared with Luke Turner getting the final touch amongst a crowd of players to force it over the line.

But it took less than 90 seconds for the Blues to regain their lead.

Matthew Clarke got the left byline before clipping a ball to the back post where Joel Cooper’s downward header beat everyone including Gartside to bounce into the net.

It should have been three for Linfield in the last of eight minutes of stoppage time.

Chris Shields robbed Casey 20 yards out and only had Gartside to beat, but he could only fire his shot straight at the keeper.

However, it didn’t matter in the end as Healy’s men had done enough to earn themselves a deserved victory.

MATCH STATS

Linfield: Johns, Finlayson, Hall, Clarke, Shields, Mulgrew (Archer 86), Scott, Millar, McClean, McKee (McBrien 85), Cooper

Subs not used: Walsh, Newberry, Robertson, McKay, McStravick

Cliftonville: Gartside, Lowe, Turner, Stewart, Addis, Robinson (Berry 89), Casey. Gallagher, Doherty (Pepper 89), Wilson, Rory Hale

Subs not used: Odumosu, C Curran, McDonagh, Storey, McGuinness

Referee: Tim Marshall

Kennedy for the four for Crues

Elsewhere, Crusaders made it three wins from their opening three matches as they smashed nine goals past 10-man Carrick Rangers at Seaview.

Ben Kennedy was the star for Stephen Baxter's men with four goals, with the others coming from Paul Heatley, Philip Lowry, Billy Joe Burns, Jimmy Callacher and sub James Teelan.

Stuart King's men had Kyle Cherry sent off in the first half.