NI Premiership Round-up - Week 8
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In an action packed game in Solitude Cliftonville survived a spirited second half fight back by Portadown to run out 3-2 winners and keep their place at the summit of the Danske Bank Irish Premiership.
The home side were the better team in the first half taking the lead trough a Jody Lynch free-kick on the half hour mark and Liam Boyce extended that advantage on the 53rd minute.
Darren Murray gave Portadown hope with a superb strike with twenty minutes to go but Joe Gormley looked to have sown up the points for the Reds when he made it 3-1 with only eight minutes remaining on the clock.
Ciaran Caldwell failed to convert a penalty for the home side and they were forced to endure an anxious final few minutes as Portadown, who were down to ten men when Sean Mackie received a second yellow card for dissent, got a goal back through former Monaghan United defender Brian Gartland with two minutes to go.
Coleraine kept pace with the leaders as an impressive 4-1 victory over local rivals Ballymena United sees them stay level on points with Cliftonville but behind on goal difference while the result drops Ballymena into the bottom half of the table.
Andrew Waterworth made it eight goals in eight games when two second half strikes helped Glentoran to a 3-0 victory over Lisburn Distillery at the Oval that keeps Eddie Patterson’s men in third spot, one point behind the joint leaders.
Ballinamallard United are fourth and are really beginning to find their feet at this level by travelling to Donegal Celtic and returning to Fermanagh with the spoils after a comfortable 3-0 victory. The visitors went two goals up through Ryan Campbell and Andy Crawford before former Sligo Rovers striker Liam Martin finished off the West Belfast side late in the game.
Linfield had to come from behind to overcome a determined Glenavon who deservedly went in at the break two goals to the good through goals from Ciaran Doherty and player-manager Gary Hamilton.
Things were looking grim for the champions but they pulled one back on the hour mark through an Albert Watson header and then an inspired substitution by David Jeffrey in bringing on Daryl Fordyce swung the match in favour of the Belfast side.
With his first touch only seconds after coming on the former Glentoran striker drew his side level before winning it deep into injury time when he finished off a fine breakaway move that moves Linfield into sixth in the table.
Dungannon Swifts recorded their first home win of the season when they ran out 2-0 winners over high flying Crusaders at Stangmore Park.
