NIFL Premiership

Carrick Rangers 1-3 Cliftonville 

CLIFTONVILLE made it back-to-back league victories over Carrick Rangers with a 3-1 comeback win at Taylor’s Avenue on Tuesday evening. 

Trailing to a Danny Gibson goal inside of three minutes, the Reds hit back before the break with Luke Conlon finishing at the back post. 

It looked as though the sides might share the spoils, but a late double from substitutes Eric McWoods and Joe Gormley sealed victory for the Irish Cup finalists as they moved clear of nearest challengers Portadown in the race for seventh place. 

Assistant manager Gerard Lyttle spoke of his delight at claiming the victory after their slow start and felt their form has been excellent in the last couple of weeks after their top-six hopes ended. 

“We’re absolutely delighted with that, especially after going a goal down so early in the game,” he reflected. 

“Every time you come here, you know what you’re going to get. You’re going to get a tough game, you’re going to have to roll your sleeves up and you’re going to have to battle. 

“It's a mental challenge before you come and I thought the boys were absolutely excellent, as they have been the last few weeks. 

“We’ve come in for a wee bit of criticism and rightfully so because we haven’t finished in the top six. We know that, the boys know that and all we can do now is just play what’s in front of us, be ready and win games.”

There were five alterations to the starting XI from Friday evening’s win over Ards in the Irish Cup semi-final. 

David Odumosu returned in goals, with Micheál Glynn, Ryan Corrigan, Arran Pettifer and Alex Parsons also coming in, as Rory Hale and Joe Gormley were amongst those to start from the bench. 

Carrick Rangers made a lightning start and were in front inside of three minutes. 

Jack Keaney twice failed to clear a dangerous ball and Nedas Maciulaitis took advantage and slipped in Danny Gibson to thump home left-footed from 16 yards out to make it 1-0. 

They could have doubled their lead on 18 minutes when Lee O’Brien clipped in a free-kick that was partially cleared to the edge of the box, where Seanan Clucas' driven attempt was held by David Odumosu. 

Midway through the half, Cliftonville had their best opening. Luke McCullough closed down Ryan Curran’s attempt and the loose ball broke to Micheál Glynn, but he couldn’t keep the shot down. 

Just before the half-hour mark, they would draw level. Arran Pettifer clipped in a corner from the right that Jonny Addis missed. Jack Keaney touched the ball on and Luke Conlon hooked the ball home at the back post to make it 1-1. 

Buoyed, Cliftonville had chances to hit the front before the break. Ryan Curran cut the ball back to Ryan Corrigan and he slipped the ball to Alex Parsons at the back post, but he blazed over.

Jonny Addis let fly from distance and his shot rose over and on the stroke of half-time Arran Pettifer’s shot from the edge of the box crashed off the bar as it remained level pegging at the interval. 

Carrick began the second half brightly but Danny Gibson flashed a shot over from the edge of the area. 

The hosts had a penalty appeal turned down after the hour mark when Joe Crowe went down under the challenge of Arran Pettifer, but referee Jamie Robinson was unmoved by the subsequent appeals that followed. 

Midway through the second period, Cliftonville went close after Curran cut-back to Glynn on the edge of the box and his shot was tipped over via the crossbar by Ross Glendinning in the Rangers goal. 

Both managers emptied their benches in the last 20 minutes and the changes paid dividends for Jim Magilton as Cliftonville hit the front in the 84th minute. 

A Carrick corner was cleared and substitutes Rory Hale and Eric McWoods combined, with the latter bursting forward and slipping his shot underneath Glendinning and into the net for his first goal since his late January arrival. 

It was game, set and match with two minutes remaining and again the build-up involved all of the substitutes. 

Youngster Coran Madden found Hale in the box. His shot was blocked and Joe Gormley swooped to hook the loose ball home and secure his 20th goal of the campaign to wrap up all three points at the conclusion. 

CARRICK RANGERS: Glendinning, Forsythe (Watson 87’), Cushley (Andrews 78’), Macuilaitius (Hastings 70’), McCullough, Buchanan-Rolleston (O’Reilly 87’), Clucas, Crowe, Gibson, O’Brien, O’Malley. 

CLIFTONVILLE: Odumosu, Kearney, Keaney, Glynn, Stewart, Pettifer, Addis, Conlon (McGuinness 46), Corrigan (McWoods 78’), Parsons (Madden 70’), Curran (Gormley 78’). 

REFEREE: Jamie Robinson