Linfield move seven points clear
Credit:
Linfield moved a step closer to retaining their title after seeing off ten-man Cliftonville in a keenly fought battle with their cross city rivals.
The home side needed to gain at least something from the match if they were to keep their championship challenge alive and worked hard in the early exchanges to bring the game to the Blues.
The game changed in a frantic two minute spell as the half hour approached when a neat turn in the box by Daryl Fordyce allowed the substitute, who had replaced the injured Mark McAllister shortly before, to drill his shot into the corner.
One minute later the Reds centre back, Mark Clarke, was dismissed for a second bookable offence with a heavy challenge on Peter Thompson. The game had been littered with borderline tackles but Clarke can have few complaints about the decision.
Barry Johnstone was shifted from midfield to cover at centre back and his presence was missed as Linfield began to dominate. They doubled their advantage on 40 minutes when the impressive Fordyce grabbed his second when converting a Philip Lowry cross.
Cliftonville started the second half brightly with Joe Gormley and Chris Scannell beginning to trouble the visitors defence with intelligent runs.
It was Gormley who gave the Reds hope in the 63rd minute when he managed to get on the end of a Martin Donnelly free-kick and give the vociferous home support a timely boost.
The goal seemed to spur on the champions, however, and when John Connolly could only parry William Murphy’s volley, Peter Thompson was on hand, as he so often is, to head the ball into the empty net much to the delight of the travelling support.
The final quarter saw the home side try valiantly to get back in the game but Linfield’s defence stood firm to send them seven points clear with second place Portadown losing to Dungannon.
Cliftonville: John Connolly: Ronan Scannell, Ciaran Caldwell, Mark Clarke, Eamonn Seydak: Martin Donnelly, Barry Johnstone, Ryan Catney, Liam Boyce ( Stephen Garrett 70); Joe Gormley, Chris Scannell ( Diarmuid O’Carroll 70).
Linfield: Alan Blayney; Damien Curran, William Murphy, Albert Watson, Jim Ervin; Philip Lowry, Jamie Mulgrew, Michael Gault, Michael Carvill; Peter Thompson, Mark McAllister (Daryl Fordyce 17)
Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Daryl Fordyce (Linfield)
Referee: Raymond Crangle
Attendance: 1200 (estimate)
