Superb footwork from Joel Cooper who dances around two Coleraine defenders before pulling the ball back to Robbie McDaid, who gets his shot away through a cluster of players but sees his effort slide just wide of the far post.

Midway through the second half and it really is an even game without any real clearcut chances.

Looks like we could be heading for a stalemate at this stage.

Portadown may be tempted to give new signing Cathair Friel some game time from the bench.

Liam Beckett
Sportsound summariser at Windsor Park

It's opened up a good deal. This is a big pitch at Windsor Park and there are a few tired legs out there. The tempo has been good but both teams have cancelled each other out.

The home side make a double substitution with Ben Buchanan- Rolleston and Aodhan Gillen replacing Daniel Kelly and David Cushley

Carrick have looked stronger this half - can these changes make an impact?

Darren Murphy
Sportsound summariser at Solitude

I did say if Cliftonville were going to get back into this game it would involve Sean Moore. He's shown composure. It takes a deflection but take nothing away from the kid. Fantastic.

He knows he has the better of Aaron Donnelly so he knew he would find that half-yard to get the shot away.

Conor Keeley, transfer-listed by Ballymena during the week as he seeks a club closer to his Dublin home, is forced off through injury and is replaced by the vastly-experienced Ross Redman.

Oran Kearney makes the first change of the game as Jack O'Mahony is replaced by the former Linfield man, Stephen Lowry.

Postpublished at 16:20 Greenwich Mean Time 2 January 2023

16:20 GMT 2 January 2023

Carrick Rangers 0-3 Crusaders

A big blow for the away side as Paul Heatley is down injured and unable to play on.

He is going to be replaced by Declan Caddell.

Marcus Kane collects a throw in and advances a couple of steps before firing a shot narrowly over the Ballymena crossbar.

Alex Gawne's strike from the left hand side is on target but it's an easy save for Crues stopper Jonathan Tuffey.

Larne break with pace and numbers after Fuad Sule does well to dispossess Chris Gallagher. Paul O'Neill directs the ball into the path of Ben Doherty whose first-time effort is narrowly off-target.

The league leaders have their tails up and are looking to double their lead.

Portadown's new signing Lee Chapman tries his luck with a strike that goes wide of the right post.

He doesn't make the contact on the ball he would have liked but he'll take the positives from getting forward and inside the box.

Ben Tilney's strike glances across the face of goal and is deflected out to Kyle Cherry just outside the box. However, his volley is off target.

That's the home side's first decent chance of the day and what an opportunity it was!

Chance for Linfield as Jamie Mulgrew floats in a delicious cross from the right hand side with Eetu Vertainen rising highest and meeting it on the head.

Just like his header in the first half, he can't quite direct it on target.

Linfield slightly on top here in the opening exchanges of the second half.

The first chance of the second half goes to way of the hosts as Joel Cooper lets fly from a free-kick.

The wall does it's job and blocks his strike.

A couple of early openings for Ballymena at the start of the second half as Aaron McCarey twice saves from Jordan Gibson.