Ballymena United are hit for eight against Cliftonville

CLIFTONVILLE blitzed hapless Ballymena United to extend their lead at the top of the Danske Bank Premiership.

A 8-0 hammering of the Sky Blues at the Showgrounds - coupled with results elsewhere - helped the Reds go seven points clear at the summit.

The game was won during a dominant first half which witnessed four unanswered goals for the visitors.

The deadlock was broken by Stephen Garrett in the fourth minute, with George McMullan doubling the lead nine minutes later.

It was 3-0 on 20 minutes when Liam Boyce rounded Dwayne Nelson to score, before James Knowles made it 4-0 before the break with a close-range finish.

The second half brought more misery for the home side.

Joe Gormley made it 5-0 after 50 minutes with a rasping drive that beat Nelson with ease, and then Boyce doubled his tally with a simple tap-in after Nelson could only parry Knowles’ initial shot.

Substitute Diarmuid O’Carroll added a seventh for the visitors in the 63rd minute with a clinical left-foot strike from the edge of the box.

Cliftonville bagged their eighth goal six minutes before the end, O’Carroll breaking down the left before squaring to Garrett who squeezed home a low shot past Nelson.

BALLYMENA: Nelson, Kane, Munster, Black (Rodgers 46), Thompson, Cushley, Teggart (Davidson 46), Lowry (McCabe 60), Davidson, Costello,.

Subs not used: Fleming, Gillan.

CLIFTONVILLE: Devlin, McGovern, Scannell, McMullan, Garrett, Donnelly, Smyth, Catney, Gormley (O’Carroll 57), Knowles (Johnston 67), Boyce (Stuart 67).

Subs not used: Seydak, Lynch.

Referee: David Malcolm (Bangor)