Linfield breathed fresh life into their Premiership title challenge with an impressive 3-0 win over championship rivals Cliftonville at Solitude.
Three second half goals ended the Blues’ recent mini slump and brought them to within one point of champions Larne at the top of the table.
Kyle McClean, Daniel Finlayson and Chris McKee were the goal scorers.
The Blues’ victory ended Cliftonville’s 16-match unbeaten run in all competitions, 14 in the league.
David Healy’s side’s bid to regain the Gibson Cup had faltered in recent weeks with defeats by Dungannon Swifts and Coleraine, plus a draw at Glenavon, as they picked up just one point out of a possible nine.
Their fifth win in a row over Cliftonville put an end to that disappointing sequence however and saw them leapfrog the north Belfast club into second spot in the standings, two points ahead of the Reds and one adrift of the champions, who have played one game less than their league title rivals.
Linfield almost grabbed an eighth minute lead in the most fortuitous of circumstances.
David Odumosu collected a back-pass from defender Jonny Addis but the goalkeeper then lost his footing right in front of goal and Rhys Annett, from a tight angle, could only find the side netting.
As Linfield began to gain a foothold in the game, the ball was worked to Matthew Clarke, captaining the side on his 400th appearance, who fired powerfully towards goal but defender Odhran Casey was well placed to head clear.
Ethan McGee then made strides down the right flank for Linfield and cut the ball across the face of goal but Matthew Fitzpatrick scuffed his first-time shot which went off target.
Cliftonville were starting to enjoy their best spell at the start of the second half with Shea Kearney going close but it was Linfield who broke the deadlock on 54 minutes.
Home defender Odhran Casey attempted to shepherd a through ball out over the bye-line for a goal kick but Annett doggedly stuck to his task and hooked the ball into the middle where McClean was able to take a touch before firing past Odumosu.
Cliftonville had a couple of penalty appeals waved away while Linfield lost the influential Chris Shields to injury but his replacement Finlayson made an immediate impact.
Just seconds after coming on as a substitute, the defender rose highest to power home a header from a Clarke corner.
Substitute McKee had an effort hooked off the line by Rory Hale but from the resultant corner, Linfield grabbed a third goal on 75 minutes.
McClean’s delivery was headed downwards at the back post by Finlayson and McKee was alert to force the ball home from inside the six-yard box.
Cliftonville have lost just two league games at Solitude this season – both of them at the hands of Linfield – but they are still very much involved in the title race.
