Glentoran stay top as Bangor and Cliftonville win

Glentoran remain three points clear of Carrick Rangers at the top of the table

Glentoran remain three points clear at the top of the Irish Premiership table after a 1-1 draw with Carrick Rangers.

Carrick remain in second place as Paul Heatley's opener was cancelled out by Jordan Stewart as both sides continued their unbeaten start to the season.

Dungannon Swifts remain without a win after a 2-1 defeat at Bangor.

Andrew Mitchell headed the Swifts in front but Ben Arthurs and Steven Scott's own goal gave the promoted Seasiders the three points.

Joe Gormley, Harry Wilson and Jonny Addis netted as Cliftonville defeated winless Glenavon 3-1 at Solitude.

On Friday, Larne defeated Ballymena United 2-0 and Portadown beat Crusaders 2-1.

Sunday's scheduled game between Coleraine and Linfield was postponed due to the Blues' European commitments.

Glens and Carrick remain unbeaten

After a slow start to the game in horrendous conditions it was 20 minutes before the first efforts on goal, and three came along at once.

First, Marcus Kane had a goalbound header deflected behind, then Shane McEleney failed to get on the end of a Danny Amos free-kick when through on goal.

Finally, Liam Burt forced Carrick keeper Nathan Gartside into a fine save.

Glentoran continued to bang on the door but they were lacking that bit of quality to put the ball in the net and were punished on 35 minutes when Heatley broke the deadlock.

The striker chased onto a delightful ball over the top from Joe Crowe and outpaced the Glentoran defence before he slid the ball past Andrew Mills and into the bottom left-hand corner of the net.

However, the hosts got themselves back into the game in injury-time when Stewart ran across the six-yard area to get a toe on a cross from the left, which put it beyond the reach of Gartside.

Just after the break Josh Kelly directed a corner from the right into the net with a sweet half-volley, but the effort was ruled out for offside.

Fifteen minutes before the end Amos whipped a free-kick from just outside the area that whistled past the Carrick left-hand upright.

The fans were on their feet expecting the net to bulge but it wasn't to be and both sides had to settle for a draw to maintain their unbeaten starts to the season.

Reds see off Glenavon

The Reds struck first through Joe Gormley's ruthless finish on 18 minutes. Rory Hale dispossessed Sean Carlin high in Glenavon's half and rolled the ball into Gormley, who fired past Jacob Carney.

Harry Wilson doubled the north Belfast side's advantage just before the hour. Hale regained possession after Gormley's attempted chip was clawed away and he teed up Wilson, whose curling strike was pushed onto the post by Carney but still spun into the net.

Paddy McLaughlin's side, though, were given hope in the 69th minute. Ben Wilson delivered a precise ball into the area and Francely Lomboto rose to steer a close-range header beyond PJ Morrison to drag his side back into the contest.

Any chance of a late fightback was extinguished six minutes from time when substitute Joe Sheridan's free-kick was nodded across goal by Jack Keaney, and Addis poked home.

Glenavon will be disappointed not to have taken the lead earlier in the contest when Lomboto had burst clear of the Reds' defence but was denied by Morrison, while Jack Malone's free-kick before half-time was superbly tipped onto the bar.

The away side remain on the hunt for their first points of the season, meanwhile Jim Magilton's men record their first win of the campaign.

Bangor beat winless Swifts

At a wet and windy Clandeboye Park, chances were few and far between in the opening 30 minutes but Bangor had the best chance when Arthurs headed Reece Neale's cross narrowly wide.

Dungannon broke the deadlock on 35 minutes when Mitchell's header was pushed onto the post by Gareth Deane but the ball rolled across the line.

Bangor levelled the game seven minutes later when Arthurs fired into the top corner after connecting with Tiarnan Mulvenna's through ball.

On the hour mark, the home side went ahead through Steven Scott's own goal after he nodded Neale's left-footed corner into the back of his own net.

In the final 10 minutes, Rodney McAree's side thought they have levelled the game when Kealan Dillon's corner found the back of the net, but the whistle had already been blown by referee Ben McMaster for a foul on stopper Deane in the build-up.

Irish Premiership results

Saturday, 30 August

Bangor 2-1 Dungannon Swifts

Cliftonville 3-1 Glenavon

Glentoran 1-1 Carrick Rangers

Friday, 29 August

Larne 2-0 Ballymena United

Portadown 2-1 Crusaders

How things stand