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Irish Premiership pacesetters Larne extended their lead at the top of the table to 10 points with an impressive 4-1 win over 10-man Glentoran at the Oval.
A double from Paul O’Neill and goals from Chris Gallagher and Tomas Cosgrove helped the Invermen stretch their unbeaten league run to 15 games.
Ryan Cooney was sent off for the Glens for a rash challenge on Sean Graham in the first half.
Linfield lost further ground in the title race as they were held to a 0-0 draw with Carrick Rangers at Taylors Avenue.
Josh Archer saw red for the Blues in the first half for denying Paul Heatley a goalscoring opportunity.
Joe Gormley came off the bench to score a late equaliser for Cliftonville as they drew 2-2 with Ballymena United at the Showgrounds.
Statement win from Larne at the Oval
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It was a lively start to the game, with Larne denied by the woodwork in the opening two minutes when Sean Graham’s effort crashed off the crossbar.
The away side then broke the deadlock on seven minutes when they were awarded a penalty after MJ Kamara handled the ball in the box and O’Neill fired home the resulting spot kick.
After conceding, the Glens settled into the game and levelled when Larne’s defence were unable to clear Cooney’s long throw before Daniel Larmour nodded home.
The feisty and fast-paced tempo of the match continued with the home side reduced to 10 men when Tony Clarke gave Cooney his marching orders for a poor challenge on Graham.
In the final five minutes of the half, the Inver Reds went in front again with former Glens midfielder Gallagher’s shot from 30 yards finding the bottom left corner.
The league leaders extended their lead nine minutes after the restart when Tiarnan O’Connor controlled a goal kick and travelled into the box before crossing for O’Neill to steer home for his second of the evening.
In the 77th minute, James Simpson robbed Danny Amos of the ball and fed Cosgrove, who was able to convert to complete a successful night for Gary Haveron’s side.
Blues frustrated at Taylors Avenue
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The visitors dominated large portions of the first half, but were reduced to 10 men on 33 minutes after Archer was shown his marching orders for pulling Heatley to ground as the lively winger was bearing down on goal.
The hosts remained a threat, particularly on the counter attack with the pace of Heatley a constant outlet for Carrick when they went forward.
Heatley came closest to opening the scoring for the home side, heading just wide of the upright less than a minute after the restart.
Ben Buchanan-Rolleston wasn’t too far away with a long-range strike with his left foot early in the second half, which had Linfield stopper Chris Johns worried for a split second.
Heatley was again involved late on, hitting a right-footed volley over the crossbar after Adam Lecky’s flick on.
Neither side managed to find a late winner, with the spoils shared at Taylors Avenue in a rather uneventful night.
Gormley salvages point for Reds
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Ballymena struck early when they were awarded a fourth minute penalty after referee Chris Morrison adjudged that Odhran Casey had impeded Sean Murray’s run into the penalty area.
Debutant Igor Rutkowski took the spot kick and found the net despite Cliftonville goalkeeper PJ Morrison getting a strong hand to the effort.
The Reds levelled after a quarter of an hour when Adebayo Fapetu crossed from the right and Keevan Hawthorne arrived at the back to beat Sean O’Neill with a header at the keeper’s near post.
The visitors should have gone in front when they broke quickly from a Ballymena corner leaving Brian Healy one-on-one, but O’Neill spread himself to block the effort with his legs.
The Reds went close again when Shaun Leppard’s flicked header from Casey’s cross was saved by O’Neill and the United keeper excelled again as he turned Healy’s shot around the near post in first half stoppage time.
Against the run of play, Ballymena went back in front 10 minutes into the second period when Daire O’Connor’s shot on the turn was spilled by Morrison and Rutkowski reacted quickest to slide home the rebound.
But Cliftonville levelled with three minutes remaining when Liam McStravick cut the ball back from the left where all-time Reds leading scorer Gormley was on hand to thump a shot past O’Neill.
