Blues cruise but Whites wobble

COLERAINE has rarely been an easy place for Linfield to claim a victory but the Blues enjoyed a comfortable outing last weekend to take their unbeaten run to 12 games.

The visitors made their intentions clear from the start with a Robert Garret cross laid off by Curtis Allen to Aaron Burns, but he fired over the bar.

At the other end Alan Blayney did well to keep out an effort from Boyce.

Mark McAllister had a chance on 17 minutes but his shot was directed at the keeper.

The breakthrough came on 30 minutes. Allen played in a great cross and McAllister got up to head into the net.

Michael Gault had a shot deflected for a corner and from the cross Coleraine somehow managed to clear the ball in a scramble.

Early in the second half McAllister went looking for his second goal with a firm shot just wide.

Another great move from the Blues came on 58 minutes. Fullback Jim Ervin raced down the right and his cross was met by Allen on the volley but again off target.

Coleraine then gifted Linfield their second when a free kick by Allen was spilled by the keeper and Peter Thompson was on hand to claim his seventh goal of the campaign.

A minute later, Linfield should have made it 3-0 when Jamie Mulgrew nodded the ball into the path of Gault but his stinging drive was superbly saved by McCormick. As the ball broke, Linfield had big shouts for a penalty as John Watt appeared to handle and then Thompson's shot across goal wascleared off the line.

Boyce almost pulled a goal back for the Bannsiders on 67 minutes. Aaron Canning's pass put him through but the alert Blayney was on hand to snuff out the danger.

The last chance of note came near the end when Ervin burst through the Coleraine midfield and drilled a firm shot inches wide of the post.

LISBURN DISTILLERY 2 CRUSADERS 4

CRUSADERS ended Lisburn Distillery's recent league run and gained revenge for the defeat at Seaview earlier in the season in a highly entertaining game at New Grosvenor last Saturday.

It was a fairly open attacking game with both teams creating plenty of chances and in the end the visitors cashed in while the Whites can only reflect on what might have been.

Crusaders took the lead on 11 minutes through the impressive Stuart Dallas.

However, the Whites had a great chance to hit back straight away but when the chance came Gary Liggett failed to connect properly in front of goal.

Things got better on 23 minutes when Glenn Ferguson popped up with a trademark header from a teasing cross.

Liggett just failed to put the Whites ahead in the next meaningful attack but the ball was in the net again at the other end when Michael Halliday fired home to give the Crues the half-time advantage.

Distillery came out determined to keep pressing forward and they were out of luck again with Liggett failing to hit the target from a good position.

They were to regret that miss as Crusaders gained a two goal cushion.

Jordan Owens powered in a shot which goalkeeper Phil Matthews did well to get a hand to, but the ball rebounded back into the area off the post and Dallas was quick to pounce for his second of the day.

It seemed all over at that stage for the Whites, but they hauled themselves back when Philip Simpson nodded home to give Wright's men a glimmer of hope.

It was game on at this stage but in the end Owens secured the points and prevented a nervous finish with a close range header.

Lisburn Distillery: Matthews, Simpson, Hunter, Muir, McShane (Coyle82), G.Thompson, Browne, Kilmartin, Patton (Cushley 70), Ferguson, Liggett (Davidson 60). Subs not used Cooling, Hume.

Crusaders: Keenan, McKeown, Coates, Magowan, McBride, Dallas, Watson, Morrow, Donnelly (Magee 86), Halliday, Owens. Subs: Faulkner, Arthurs, McMaster, Doherty.

Referee: Mervyn Smyth (Dundonald)

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