NIFL Premiership
Cliftonville 2
Linfield 0
At Solitude
CLIFTONVILLE returned to the top six of the Sports Direct Premiership after claiming their first league win over Linfield for three seasons with a 2-0 victory at Solitude on Sunday afternoon.
Scoreless at the break, centre back Shaun Leppard nodded home the opener after the hour mark, and having defended resolutely in the aftermath Joe Gormley deflected home his side's second in the last minute of injury time to ensure they leapfrog Carrick Rangers into the top six.
Reds boss Jim Magilton didn’t feel there was much between the sides, but was delighted with his side's disciplined approach throughout.
“It’s fair to say there wasn’t much in it,” Magilton reflected. “We had to withstand massive pressure. We kept giving them opportunities to put the ball in our box from set pieces, corners and free kicks. I think it was tiredness to an extent.
“Given their quality, there were far too many for our liking but we dealt with it so well. We competed so well, we set up the shape to be disciplined, we recognised that they were to come on top of us and we had to be clever in that.
“First half, we gave a very disciplined approach without showing ambition. Our thought process was around getting back into shape, filling gaps and doing whatever we had to do.
“Half-time was reaffirming the positives about the players that we have in our team, and the quality that we have in our team and be braver on the ball and show that ambition with the ball, and we did.
“We started the second half, got an early corner kick which gives everyone a lift. We just had moments where we could have been better. That is kind of a way the story of our season where that level of calmness and final ball.
“We got the goal from the set piece, Shaun Leppard – I’m absolutely chuffed for and we nicked one at the end with Joe”.
Magilton made three changes to the side that was comfortably beaten 4-0 by Glentoran on Tuesday evening. PJ Morrison returned in goal after suffering a broken hand last month, Josh Kelly came back in after missing the game against his parent club on Tuesday, and there was also a start for Adebayo Fapetu.
Both sides showed their early attacking intent when Issac Baird had a shot blocked by Shaun Leppard and at the other end Brian Healy controlled a long punt forward and got a shot towards goal that Chris Johns smothered.
Visitors Linfield again threatened when Josh Archer found Sam Taylor on the right wing and his cross was hooked goalwards by Matthew Fitzpatrick and blocked on the line by Adebayo Fapetu with Kyle McClean’s follow-up unable to cause any further anxiety.
After a fast start chances were soon at a premium, Kirk Millar was slipped in and curled his shot over, whilst Jonny Addis’ header from Glynn’s corner scaled the target as the sides drew a blank at the interval.
Linfield went close again after the break when Millar picked out Fitzpatrick in the area and Shaun Leppard was in close proximity to divert the imminent danger.
On the hour mark half-time substitute Adam Frizzell showed neat footwork before laying the ball back to Darragh Leahy whose fine cross evaded Fitzpatrick at the back post.
The deadlock was broken after 64-minutes and it was Cliftonville that hit the front. In the build-up Blues' keeper Chris Johns had to magnificently keep out a Liam McStravick shot that was destined for the top corner, at the expense of a corner. Micheál Glynn delivered the resulting set-piece and a downward header from Shaun Leppard saw the Derry-based defender nod in his second goal of the season to make it 1-0.
The Reds focus switched very much to holding out as Linfield piled on the pressure for an equaliser.
Kirk Millar’s clipped cross from the right found Matthew Fitzpatrick, who took a touch, but Jonny Addis nipped in and cushioned the ball back to keeper PJ Morrison.
A long free kick from Chris Johns hung in the wind and Fitzpatrick’s header on the edge of the box found its way to Kirk Millar at the backpost, though Luke Conlon threw himself in the path of Millar’s close range shot.
As the game headed for injury time the Blues spurned a further opportunity, Ethan McGee got first contact on a corner from the left and his header dropped for Kirk Millar to lash a volley inches over the bar.
There was further opportunity to restore parity in the five additional minutes, but substitute Matt Yates pulled the ball past the post and none of his team-mates were able to get the vital touch.
Instead it was Cliftonville who secured all three points with the final action of the game. Substitute Sean Robertson elected to take the ball to the corner in the last 20-seconds to try and see the game out.
He was able to cut the ball back into the path of Ryan Curran, who took a touch and sent an angled shot against the post, fortunately hitting Joe Gormley on the follow-up and deflecting in to make it 2-0 at the conclusion.
CLIFTONVILLE: Morrison, Leppard, Addis, Conlon, Toole, Kelly, Fapetu (Sheridan 67’), Hale, Glynn (Gormley 86’), McStravick (Robertson 75’), Healy (Curran 86’).
LINFIELD: Johns, East, Millar, McClean (McKee 75’), Hall, Archer (Yates 66’), Baird (Mulgrew 65’), McGee, Fitzpatrick, Taylor (Frizzell 46’), Leahy.
REFEREE: Ben McMaster
