Reds earn dramatic comeback league win over Blues

Cliftonville recovered from a goal down to beat Linfield at Windsor Park

Cliftonville clinched a dramatic 2-1 comeback win over Irish Premiership leaders Linfield at Windsor Park as the top three sides in the league all suffered defeats on Saturday.

Matthew Fitzpatrick had Linfield ahead at half-time but there was drama late in the second half as Ryan Curran equalised and then fellow substitute Ryan Corrigan popped up with an 85th-minute winner.

The Reds' first league win over the Blues at Windsor Park since April 2018 condemned David Healy's side to a third home top flight loss in four games.

Kieran Offord's spectacular strike gave Crusaders a 1-0 win over second-placed Ballymena at Seaview.

Dungannon, who sit third, took a first-half lead against Loughgall thanks to Andy Mitchell, but the basement side battled back to win 3-1 at Stangmore Park courtesy of a quickfire Ryan Waide double and Robbie Norton.

The victory ended Loughgall's eight-match losing run in the league.

Matthew Shevlin was on target twice in the space of four second-half minutes as Coleraine bounced back from 1-0 down to defeat Glentoran 2-1, Frankie Hvid having scored for the visitors to give them the lead at the break. The Glens had started the day fourth in the standings.

Ten-man Carrick Rangers drew 1-1 away to Glenavon, David Cushley netting with one minute remaining but David McDaid levelled in stoppage time.

Ross Glendinning had been sent-off late in the first half.

Reds win again as Blues stay top

Cliftonville made it two wins in a row by following up on their midweek victory over Coleraine as they moved above Glentoran into fourth in the table, with Linfield remaining two points clear at the top.

The deadlock was broken on 16 minutes as the visitors failed to clear Kirk Millar's corner, with the ball eventually falling to Fitzpatrick who buried it from six yards out.

The visitors were on top for large portions of the game, but had their goalkeeper David Odumosu to thank for keeping them just a goal behind as he produced a super double-save to deny Fitzpatrick his second of the afternoon.

After being introduced just five minutes prior, Curran got on the end of fellow substitute Rory Donnelly's header across goal to draw the Reds level 10 minutes from time from point blank range.

Five minutes later and the visitors secured all three points as Corrigan pounced on a mistake by Chris Johns to fire home and give the Reds a well deserved win at Windsor Park.

Stunning Offord goal seals victory

Ballymena came close at Seaview inside the opening four minutes when Daithi McCallon’s long ball forward wasn’t dealt with by defender Lewis Barr and Ben Kennedy nipped in behind to bear down on goal but his effort was blocked by the chest of goalkeeper Jonny Tuffey.

Crusaders came within a whisker of scoring on eight minutes when Offord raced clear of the Ballymena defence and tried to beat Sean O’Neill at his near post but his shot cannoned off the base of the post and behind for a goal kick.

Ben Kennedy had a goal chalked off for offside before his through ball released Andy Scott whose fierce shot was turned behind by Tuffey.

The home side almost went ahead on the hour when Jacob Blaney stood up a cross to the back post but Harry Franklin’s firm header was tipped over by O’Neill and minutes later, Jarlath O’Rourke’s strike crashed off the crossbar.

With the home side starting to get on top, they eventually broke the deadlock on 64 minutes when Ross Clarke’s cross was fractionally behind Offord but the Scottish striker cleverly re-adjusted his body shape to find the corner of the net with an overhead kick.

Ballymena attempted to find an equaliser but Ethan Devine blazed a shot over while the Sky Blues also had a penalty appeal waved away after a collision between Joe Moore and Tuffey.

Shevlin double boosts Coleraine

Two goals in four second half minutes saw Coleraine come from behind to win and move to within two points of Glentoran in the table.

The Glens led 1-0 at the break thanks to Frankie Hvid’s 20th minute header but Shevlin struck twice in the 72nd and 76th minutes to secure all three points for Dean Shiels’ side.

Declan Devine's team opened the scoring midway through the opening half. Daniel Amos floated a free-kick from the right hand side into the heart of the Coleraine penalty area where Frankie Hvid rose highest to head home unchallenged from six yards.

Coleraine almost levelled minutes later when Shevlin’s expertly struck volley from six yards following a Jamie Glackin corner was brilliantly saved at his near post by Glentoran ‘keeper Daniel Gyollai.

Opposite number Max Little produced a fine save of his own just before the break when he turned Finley Thorndike’s long range shot round his near post.

The Coleraine ‘keeper was called upon again minutes after the restart when he did well in the wet conditions to hold on to a well struck free-kick from the ever dangerous Daniel Amos.

The importance of those saves was underlined in the 72nd minute when Matthew Shevlin volleyed home from close range after his initial header had been blocked by Patrick McClean.

Four minutes later he struck again, heading home at the back post after the Glentoran defence had failed to deal with a Jamie Glackin free-kick, Dean Jarvis keeping the ball alive for Shevlin to score.

Loughgall end long losing streak

At Stangmore, Loughgall were denied a goal by the crossbar on the 22nd minute when Lewis Francis’ header crashed off the woodwork after Luke Cartwright’s corner had been recycled into the box.

Dungannon took the lead seven minutes later when Thomas Maguire took advantage of a slack defensive clearance and played the ball to Mitchell, who dispatched Maguire through on goal.

The winger took the ball wide which gave Loughgall time to get bodies back before doing well to play the danger across the box to Mitchell, who fired home from close range.

Dean Smith’s side equalised when Waide latched onto Tiernan Kelly’s long ball after Steven Scott had attempted to head the danger away with Waide travelling into the box and firing into the top left-hand corner.

Waide netted his and Loughgall’s second just two minutes later after Nathaniel Ferris chested the danger down into the path of Jordan Gibson who played into the box for the Loughgall centre forward.

The goals weren't done there with the unmarked Norton’s strike from an Alberto Balde pass making it 3-1 with 14 minutes to go to secure Loughgall’s first victory since the opening day of the season.

The Villagers are three points adrift of Carrick at the foot of the table.

Late drama at Mourneview

The game at Mourneview Park opened up as half-time approached with Kurtis Forysthe's effort cleared off the line by Matthew Snoddy before the visitors lost keeper Ross Glendinning to a stoppage time red card when he handled outside the box with David McDaid bearing down on him.

With their backs to the wall for much of the second half, Carrick had Ben Buchanan-Rolleston to thanks for a brave block on Niall Quinn's effort.

Quinn would have an even bigger chance to break the deadlock with a quarter of an hour to go as, moments after Chris Atherton was booked for a dive in the box, Seanan Clucas blocked Keith Ward's shot with his arms above his head and Quinn stepped up to the spot.

However, replacement keeper Ben McCauley made a stunning save low to his right to tip the kick around the post.

It would be a tale of spot-kicks as, in the last minute of normal time, Peter Campbell was penalised for a handball and Cushley made no mistake from the spot as it looked as though the visitors would have a smash and grab win.

However, Glenavon would at least secure a point when David McDaid headed home a cross from the left in stoppage time.

The result keeps both sides in 10th and 11th respectively but extends Carrick's unbeaten run to four while Glenavon have lost just one of their last six.