Linfield move top as Chris Shields penalty seals win over 10-man Larne

Defending Premiership champions Linfield were left sitting pretty in top spot as Chris Shields’ penalty kick secured a vital victory over 10-man Larne.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

A first win at Inver Park since 2007 left Linfield holding the upper hand following a night of drama centred around a red card and penalty kick.

Blues goalkeeper Chris Johns was involved within the opening minute by getting behind David McDaid’s shot from distance before a fortunate deflection cut out the threat off the rebound.

Ben Doherty attempted to steer home a curling long-range left-foot effort on seven minutes following good work by Mark Randall as Larne worked hard in search of the upper hand.

Chris Shields (right) celebrates scoring from the penalty spot in Linfield's win over Larne. Pic by PressEye Ltd.Chris Shields (right) celebrates scoring from the penalty spot in Linfield's win over Larne. Pic by PressEye Ltd.
Chris Shields (right) celebrates scoring from the penalty spot in Linfield's win over Larne. Pic by PressEye Ltd.

Another Larne sight of goal was carved out on 12 minutes when Randall found Tomas Cosgrove wide on the right and the low cross arrived for Ronan Hale at the far post but Johns was on hand to get behind the subsequent shot.

However, Christy Manzinga’s power and pace along the Linfield frontline offered evidence of the defending champions’ attacking threat

And the striker - linking up with Linfield’s other leading name across the first half in Shields - helped to break the deadlock on 28 minutes.

Shields displayed strength and skill to move forward from midfield and pick out Manzinga’s run - with referee Raymond Crangle ultimately delivering a red card to Kofi Balmer for what he considered contact preventing a goalscoring opportunity as the Larne defender came cross the run of the Linfield striker.

The double blow of a red card and penalty kick left Larne on the backfoot as Shields stepped up to strike home from the spot.

Superb tracking by Cosgrove stopped Linfield from increasing the advantage on 35 minutes when he followed Stephen Fallon’s run into the danger zone and put the Linfield player under pressure, leading to a sliding connection to Manzinga’s cross bouncing off the crossbar from a few yards.

Larne, although rattled in the early moments after suffering the red card and penalty, regrouped for the latter period of the first half and a clever turn by Hale created space but he fired wide.

Linfield almost added number two after the interval with a flowing move kicked off by goalkeeper Johns, with Jordan Stewart then flicking the ball wide into the path of Trai Hume and he slipped a pass down the right flank for Manzinga to whip over from wide. The supporting Ahmed Salam met with a crisp goalbound volley but Larne had numbers in place to block the attempt.

Larne, sitting both a player and goal down, had a chance to level from set-piece play on 69 minutes when Doherty’s free-kick was met by Albert Watson at the back post. Watson, who had been introduced as a first-half replacement for the injured Cian Bolger, was unable to direct goalwards due to the presence of Jimmy Callacher.

An injury-time break almost led to a second Linfield goal but Kyle McClean failed to convert Manzinga’s pass.

--

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper whenever you are able to do so.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world.

But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspaper when you can safely.

You can also enjoy unlimited access to the best news from across Northern Ireland and the UK by subscribing to newsletter.co.uk

With a digital subscription, you can read more than five articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit https://www.newsletter.co.uk/subscriptions now to sign up.

Thank you