LINFIELD closed to within two points of Danske Bank Premiership leaders Crusaders with a 2-1 win over strugglers Ballinamallard at Windsor Park on Thursday.
Andy Waterworth raced on to Sean Ward’s pass to put Linfield ahead after 14 minutes and though Adam Leckey equalised 12 minutes into the second-half, Ryan Morris sliced Kirk Millar’s low cross into his own net a minute later and the home side held on to take the win.
The victory means the Blues are now on 68 points, just two behind their Belfast rivals having played a game more. Ballinamallard, who have won just once in five outings, are second-from-bottom just four points above basement outfit Warrenpoint Town.
DUNDALK moved to the top of the SSE Airtricity Premier Division after an emphatic second-half performance against St Patrick’s Athletic.
The Louth men are now three points clear at the top after Stephen O’Donnell’s first half strike was followed by a three-goal second half salvo from David McMillan, Daryl Horgan and Brian Gartland at Richmond Park.
O’Donnell dispossessed Keith Treacey and shot past Brendan Clarke early in the first half. The defending champions made it 2-0 just after the hour mark when substitute David McMillan beat Clarke with a cool finish and Horgan and Gartland added some gloss to the scoreboard late on.
The sides went into the game level on nine points after Dundalk lost their 100 per cent record to Cork City last time out.
