NIFL Premiership
Cliftonville 2–1 Larne
A GOAL in each half from Rory Hale ensured that Cliftonville came out on top of Saturday’s top of the table clash with Larne after a 2-1 win at Solitude.
Captain for the afternoon in the absence of Chris Curran, Hale thundered his side ahead before ex-Reds striker David McDaid levelled before the break.
With the game evenly poised, Hale headed home the winner after the hour-mark to move his side four points clear of Larne at this early juncture of the season.
Cliftonville boss Paddy McLaughlin made one change to the starting line-up that played two weeks ago against Linfield as Hale came back into the starting line-up at the expense of Chris Curran.
Hale heads home the winner
Cliftonville were first to threaten inside of two minutes when Rory Hale clipped in a cross and Joe Gormley’s swooping header was smothered by Rohan Ferguson in the Larne goal.
At the other end, Ben Doherty let fly with a snapshot which called Declan Dunne into action, though the Reds’ shot-stopper held on.
The deadlock was broken after nine minutes when a cut-back fell nicely for Ronan Doherty whose effort was steered off the line and Hale quickly followed-up, thundering high past Ferguson and into the net to give his side the early advantage.
The Reds had the chance to double their lead when Jamie McDonagh dropped a teasing corner into the area; Hale saw his shot blocked and Ryan Curran saw his follow-up on the turn deflected over for a further corner, which would come to nothing.
Lee Lynch almost drew Larne level before the half-hour mark when he intercepted Luke Turner’s clearance out of defence and tried his luck with a shot that was deflected behind for a corner, but again it came to nothing.
The visitors threatened again when Navid Nasseri hung up a cross that Ben Doherty flicked on, but Declan Dunne came to collect.
An equaliser looked on the cards and on 38 minutes it came through a familiar source. Tomas Cosgrove dropped in a dangerous cross that David McDaid chested down and fired home at the back post to make it 1-1 at the break.
David McDaid thumps home the equaliser
The hosts had the first opportunity of the second period as Gormley showed neat footwork to hold up a through ball and slide it across to Hale who dragged the shot wide of the post.
Gormley was involved again before the hour mark, this time the striker sprayed the ball wide to Kris Low on the overlap, Lowe took the chance on himself but was denied by Rohan Ferguson who parried.
Larne went close at the other end almost instantly and Ben Doherty was poised to pull the trigger, however Declan Dunne produced an outstanding save to deny the Inver Reds midfielder.
It was a chance they would come to rue as Cliftonville regained the lead on 64 minutes. Jamie McDonagh provided an inch-perfect cross from the right and Rory Hale met it with a downward header past Ferguson for his second of the game to make it 2-1.
Larne pressed for the equaliser but Cliftonville stood firm and defended resolutely to edge out the Inver-outfit and maintain their unbeaten start to the campaign.
CLIFTONVILLE: Dunne, Lowe (Foster 86), Addis, Turner, Ives (Donnelly 22), Gallagher, Doherty, Hale (C Curran 69), McDonagh, R Curran, Gormley (O’Neill 86).
LARNE: Ferguson, Balmer, Kelly, Watson, Nasseri (Scott 65), Randall (Hale 74), McDaid (Herron 74), Doherty, Lynch, Mitchell (Sule 65), Cosgrove.
REFEREE: Raymond Crangle
