Irish Premiership: Linfield 1-2 Crusaders

David Rainey signed off his Crusaders career by hitting the winner as the Premiership runners-up accounted for last year's champions Linfield.

Rainey and William Murphy were both making their final appearances for their respective clubs.

Michael Carvill put the Blues ahead on 13 and and he hit the woodwork twice more as the Blues dominated.

But Gary McCutcheon levelled on the stroke of half-time before Rainey's free-kick winner on 50 minutes.

The match started with Crusaders officials not sitting in the directors' box and instead watching alongside their supporters - apparently arising from ill-feeling over the Seaview club's legal challenge to the £25m upgrade of Windsor Park.

After the game, Crusaders secretary Harry Davidson told BBC Sport NI that the club had been informed that its officials would not be made welcome in either the Windsor Park boardroom or directors' box at Saturday's match.

Attempts to contact Linfield to get a response to the Crusaders claim on Saturday evening were unsuccessful.

Carvill fired in Linfield's goal from 18 yards after ghosting past a defender.

The Linfield goalscorer then headed against the crossbar and Nathan Hanley also went close to doubling Linfield's lead before Carvill again struck the woodwork.

But completely against the run of play, Crues levelled seconds before the break as he fired home after good work by Rainey and Eamonn McAllister.

It got even better for Crusaders five minutes after the break as Rainey hit the net with a free-kick from just outside the penalty area.

As Linfield lost their way, Crusaders were the better side for the remainder of the contest as McCutcheon missed a glorious late chance for the visitors.