NIFL Premiership Round-up - Week 15

Linfield are now six points clear at the head of the Danske Bank Premiership after cruising to a 5-1 win over Warrenpoint Town at Windsor Park that pushes their unbeaten run to thirteen matches in the league.

The Blues were irresistible from the outset setting a pace that the south Down side could not compete with as they found themselves penned back with Kyle McVey heading against the post after only six minutes. The newly promoted side were then grateful to goalkeeper Jonathan Parr who kept his side in the game with a smart save from Andrew Waterworth before McVey blasted over from close range as Linfield laid siege to the visitor’s goal.

The inevitable opener came on the 28^th minute when Michael Carvill’s free kick was headed back across goal and met by Phillip Lowry who nodded it to the net with Waterworth getting the insurance touch on the line. The former Glentoran striker then had a hand in the second goal as his cross was diverted into the net by Warrenpoint defender Stephen Moan to make it 2-0 at half time.

Four minutes into the second half Matthew Tipton made it 3-0 when he headed Michael Gault cross home and then the former Dundalk striker struck his fifth goal of the season when he latched onto Carvill’s pass and raced through to score. Credit to Warrenpoint as they refused to give up and grabbed a consolation as Stephen Hughes converted a penalty after Linfield captain Gault tugged back Ruairi Devlin in the area.

The four goal lead was restored sixty seconds later when Waterworth slotted past Parr to give Linfield a comfortable victory and leave Warrenpoint at the foot of the table with ten points from fifteen games.

Ards are off the bottom as they leapfrogged their Down rivals with a fourth victory of the season when they defeated struggling Coleraine at Clandeboye Park in Bangor. All the goals came in the second half as former Derry GAA star Eoin Bradley put the Bannsiders ahead on 58 minutes but James Cully equalised for Ards seven minutes later. Cully then put the home side ahead on 73 minutes when Ards were awarded a penalty after Wayne Drummond brought down William Faulkner. Andy Mitchell then added a third for Ards to seal the victory and leave Coleraine in eighth position with eighteen points.

Two goals from Guy Bates gave Glenavon a share of the spoils as they came from behind to deny Crusaders all three points at Mourneview Park. Jordan Owens and Timmy Adamson had given Stephen Baxter’s men a two goal lead but the game changed with fifteen minutes to go as Bates struck twice in a minute to keep Crues in second with 27 points with Glenavon in fifth place, three points behind.

Ballinamallard United avenged their 11-0 thrashing at the hands of Portadown by defeating Ronnie McFall’s men 1-0 at Ferney Park while Glentoran are up to third with a 2-1 victory over Dungannon Swifts. Elsewhere Cliftonville got back to winning ways with a 2-1 win over Ballymena United at Solitude.