Irish Premiership: Ballinamallard Utd 1-3 Linfield

Linfield are just one point off the top of the Premiership following their deserved victory at Ballinamallard.

The Belfast side took the lead through midfielder Stephen Lowry who rifled in a low shot past keeper Stefan McCusker in the eighth minute.

Aaron Burns met a Ross Clarke cross to nod in for Linfield in the 16th minute.

Clarke laid the ball back for Burns to score again early in the second half and John Currie snapped up a late goal for Ballinamallard.

The victory was a good response by Linfield following their defeat by Glenavon at Windsor Park last week.

They are now just one point behind Crusaders, Portadown and Ballymena United at the top of the league table.

Linfield boss Warren Feeney, the former Northern Ireland striker, will be pleased with not just the three points but the three goals as well.

Linfield's Stephen Lowry beats Mark Stafford and Stuart Hutchinson of Ballinamallard United

His side had gone into the match having scored only eight in eight league matches, but they moved into double figures within the opening 16 minutes at Ferney Park.

Lowry scored his first goal in the Linfield number eight shirt previously worn by his bother Philip to give the Blues an 11th-minute lead.

It came when Sean Ward's throw-in was flicked on by striker Peter Thompson and midfielder Lowry rifled a low shot into the corner.

Five minutes later Feeney's visitors went 2-0 up thanks to a Burns who netted a downward header at the back post to from Clarke's right-wing cross.

Linfield could have had more as Thompson glanced a header wide, Ivan Sproule had a shot saved by McCusker and Burns had a shot blocked on the line.

Ballinamallard showed little up front in the first half and in a rare moment of danger striker Anthony Elding narrowly failed to get a touch on Jason McCartney's ball in.

Linfield put the game to bed with a third goal in the 52nd minute, Burns scoring after Clarke had set the chance up with a well-placed pass.

Ballinamallard looked well beaten but they did pull a goal back when Currie snapped up the chance after Blues keeper Jonathan Tuffey had pushed out Johnny Lafferty's long-range effort.