DANSKE BANK PREMIERSHIP CUTTING CRU

Baxter’s boys slice apart reigning champions on their own patch

CRUSADERS delivered a fivestar performance at Windsor Park last night as Linfield suffered their first domestic defeat of the season.

Paul Heatley, Gavin Whyte and Philip Lowry were on target for the visitors, while unfortunate Blues defenders Mark Stafford and Jimmy Callacher scored own goals.

Stafford (inset) pulled it back to 2-1 with a 38th minute header, while Aaron Burns was also on target for the champions when he reduced the arrears to 3-2 on the hour mark.

But the Crues, who lost the title to Linfield in

April, weren’t to be denied an emphatic victory as they climbed to third in the table.

Goalscorer Whyte said: “It’s a tough place to come, so we’re happy with the win. We worked really hard and it was a big three points for us.”

The Crues went ahead on 22 minutes when Heatley pounced on a Jordan Forsythe cross to fire home his ninth goal of the season.

Heatley still had plenty to do as the ball bounced in front of him 16 yards out, but the winger swivelled to volley a low shot past Roy Carroll.

The visitors doubled their lead in the 33rd minute when Blues defender Stafford diverted the ball past Carroll from Mark Mccrystal’s driven cross. Stafford made amends five minutes later when he beat Crues keeper Brian Jensen to a Kirk Millar corner to head home.

But Crues made it 3-1 just before the break when man of the match Whyte fired home after Matthew Snoddy’s initial volley from the winger’s cross had crashed back off the bar.

Linfield started the second half on the front foot and were back in it on 56 minutes when Burns rose eight yards out to head a Mitchell cross into the far corner

The Blues went agonisingly close to an equaliser on 66 minutes when Matthew Clarke skipped past BJ Burns, only to see his low drive cleared off the line by Mccrystal.

Crusaders made sure of the points on 81 minutes when Linfield switched off at a BJ Burns throw in, Whyte’s low cross ricocheting into the net off Jimmy Callacher.

It was 5-2 in the 87th minute when substitute Lowry fired home from close range after Blues midfielder and brother Stephen gifted the ball to Whyte inside the area.

Defeat leaves Linfield – who last shipped five in the league at Windsor 23 years ago – 10 points off early leaders Coleraine.

CRU BEAUTY Gavin Whyte (left) celebrates his side’s third goal at Windsor Park last night