NIFL Premiership

Loughgall 1-5 Cliftonville 

CLIFTONVILLE joined Linfield at the top of the table with a comfortable 5-1 win over Loughgall at Lakeview Park on Saturday afternoon. 

A first half treble from Joe Gormley, Kris Lowe and Jonny Addis had the Solitude men in control at the break and despite Nathaniel Ferris giving the Villagers brief hope, a brace from substitute Taylor Stevens capped a fine afternoon in Orchard County with Tiernan Kelly’s dismissal for the hosts compounding a rather frustrating day. 

Reds boss Jim Magilton felt that the vibes were strong from his camp going into the game and believed their two-week lay-off helped their preparations. 

“We had a really good vibe this week going in training,” he felt. 

“A real competitive edge and a few new bodies in, which always helps. We talked about starting quickly and that was a bit frenetic until we scored, and then when we scored, I thought we took control of the game obviously then the other two goals helps. 

“At half time, you discuss the next goal because we were here last year, and we played so well in the first half here last year and then we conceded goals. They made it very difficult, which they do. Dean [Smith] sets his team up fantastically well. They all understand their roles and responsibilities. 

“For us, it was just about getting out of the blocks, that two weeks was a real opportunity to blood the lads in and get them involved in the group and that came at the right time for us.”

Magilton made five changes to the starting XI that started their league defeat to Glentoran two weeks previous. 

Michael Glynn made his first start since his deadline day move from Larne, whilst Shea Kearney, Michael Newberry, Axel Piesold and Ryan Curran also returned. 

The opening exchanges were evenly matched until Cliftonville forged ahead in the 19th minute. 

It was an excellent build-up that involved a triangle between Ronan Doherty, Ryan Curran, and Glynn whose pass sent Gormley through and he sat down former team-mate Nathan Gartside before rolling the ball home for his third league goal of the season. 

They doubled their lead just a few minutes later. Jonny Addis launched a high ball over the top that Kris Lowe raced onto. He was able to hold off the attention of Jamie Rea and steered home for his first of the campaign. 

Just eight minutes after making the breakthrough, Cliftonville all but secured the three points with a third. 

Glynn saw his attempted cross deflected behind for a corner and Ronan Doherty’s out swinging delivery was met by the head of Jonny Addis to find the bottom corner and make it 3-0 before the half hour mark. 

Fortunately for the Villagers, they wouldn’t suffer any further damage in the remainder of the half. 

Loughgall found a glimmer of hope in the 71st minute when Nathaniel Ferris ran onto a through ball, took the ball to the edge of the box and after twisting and turning away from the attention of Jonny Addis, swept a shot past David Odumosu at the near post to make it 3-1. 

Any hope of a late comeback was quickly extinguished, however, and Cliftonville restored their three-goal advantage shortly after. 

Addis made a vital interception in midfield to cut off a potential break away and Michael Newberry dinked a pass to on-loan St Johnstone youngster Taylor Steven. 

The 19-year-old took the ball away from Luke Cartwright and weaved his way past another two Loughgall defenders before pulling the trigger from the edge of the box and opening his personal account since his deadline day arrival. 

The hosts would have to see out the closing stages with 10 men after Tiernan Kelly picked up a second yellow card for a strong challenge on substitute Arran Pettifer. 

Cliftonville would make the most of their numerical advantage and wrapped things up late-on. 

Axel Piesold lifted a superb through ball over the top, substitute Ryan Corrigan gave chase and dinked an angled shot towards the net- which Steven tapped home on the goal-line to claim his second of the afternoon and make it 5-1 at the conclusion. 

LOUGHGALL: Gartside, Kerr (Francis 73’), Murdock, Cartwright, Rea, Towe, Kelly, Gibson (Hoey 62’), Balde (McDermott 62’), Boyd (Ferris 62’), Waide (McAleer 73’). 

CLIFTONVILLE: Odumosu, Newberry, Addis (Leppard 75’), Conlon, Kearney, Glynn, Doherty (Markey 83’), Lowe (Pettifer 67’), Piesold, Curran (Steven 67’), Gormley (Corrigan 75’). 

REFEREE: Jamie Robinson