SHAYNE AGAIN..

Blues so close to keeping their crown

LINFIELD continued their imperious march to another Gibson Cup success by coolly despatching Ballymena at Windsor Park.

With their title rivals faltering, David Healy’s men took the chance to stretch their lead at the top of the table and only a fool would bet on them surrendering their crown from here.

The visitors started confidently and had the first decent crack at goal when Shay McCartan smashed in a low free kick that the alert

Chris Johns parried wide.

Linfield looked a little sluggish early on but a cleverly worked move saw them open the scoring in the 16th minute.

Kirk Millar, operating from the left, used his deadly right foot to great effect by picking out Mark Haughey’s marauding run from deep and the right-back bulleted a header (inset) past 16-year-old keeper Dylan Graham.

Their tails up, the champions began to stroke the ball about with authority and a wonderful flowing move ended with Jordan Stewart feeding Shayne Lavery but Graham did well to save the striker’s shot with his legs.

The Sky Blues were on the ropes but a moment of sheer class from McCartan hauled them level just before the half-hour mark. Standing over a free kick on the edge of the box, the 26-year-old outfoxed keeper Johns by changing tack from his earlier effort, floating a wonderful effort over the wall and into the net.

McCartan then led a rapid counter attack that ended with Paul McElroy’s header fully extending Johns as the visitors threatened to take a lead into the interval but it remained a goal apiece.

Graham had his wits about him right from the restart as he stood up well at his near post to save Matthew Clarke’s fierce drive.

Clarke was frustrated again when he fizzed a low cross into the six-yard box that found no takers, with Lavery just failing to get a toe to the ball.

It was left to Millar to once more unpick the lock for the home side midway through the half, this time from his more familiar right-wing berth.

Twisting Ross Redman inside out, the Blues’ creator-in-chief stood a peach of a cross up to the far post where Lavery had the simple task of nodding home.

Lavery let the visitors off the hook with five minutes to go when he dithered during a four against two breakaway attack.

But it mattered little as his goal proved sufficient for the champions to all but set the seal on another successful title defence.

LAV HURTS Shayne Lavery punishes United by heading winner after McCartan (below) had levelled