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Blues Come Alive To Lead By Five |
By Peter Mullan |
An impressive 12 match unbeaten run has seen Linfield take a five point lead at the top of the Carling Premiership table, ahead of struggling rivals Crusaders and Glentoran. And revenge over Cliftonville in the Co. Antrim Shield semi final has set up a final with Crusaders on 1 December.
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Carling Premiership
Linfield 2-1 Glentoran
at Windsor Park
17th October 2009
A bright start saw Mark Miskimmin almost snatch the lead in the opening minute, his shot from the left beating Elliott Morris in the visitors’ goal but rebounding to safety from the crossbar.
Surprisingly the game had almost reached the half hour mark before Linfield opened the scoring from the penalty spot, Jim Ervin beating Morris from 12 yards after Michael Carvill was fouled inside the box by Paul Leeman.
One minute later only a tremendous save by Stuart Addis prevented Glentoran midfielder Jimmy Callagher from equalising with a header, but on 35 minutes The Blues extended their lead when Miskimmin ran on to a through ball from Billy Joe Burns to lob Morris from just inside the box.
Just before half time former Northern Ireland international Keith Gillespie headed against the post from a Gary Hamilton cross.
The early stages of the second half saw Paul Munster, Jamie Mulgrew and Carvill go close, but on 74 minutes the visitors got a goal back when substitute Andy Waterworth scored from close range after Addis had saved from Michael Halliday.
And while Carvill and substitute Aaron Burns went close to sealing victory, the Linfield defence held out for a thoroughly deserved win.
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Photos by Colin McMaster.
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Glenavon 1-2 Linfield
at Mourneview Park
24th October 2009
The difficult conditions meant constructive football was at a premium, and on 3 minutes Jamie Tomelty had a shot saved by Andrew Plummer in the Glenavon goal.
James Costello went close at the other end before Jim Ervin tested Plummer from 20 yards, then Paul Munster looked to have given The Blues the lead on 37 minutes, only to have his effort ruled out for offside, before the first half drew to a close.
However, it took just three minutes of the second half for Munster to open the scoring, when the big striker pounced on a loose ball after a shot from Ervin was blocked, beating Plummer from close range.
After Michael Carvill went close on 53 minutes, the second goal arrived on 58 minutes when Tomelty finished off a fine move, getting on the end of a cross from Billy Joe Burns.
A double substitution by the home side with 20 minutes to go paid off almost immediately when the two new men combined, Stuart King crossing for Gary Liggett to head past a static Stuart Addis, and the game petered out from then, another Addis save ensuring the three points went home with Linfield..
Linfield 2-2 Institute
at Windsor Park
27th October 2009
Linfield took an early lead, Jamie Tomelty and Paul Munster combining to leave Jamie Mulgrew free on goal on 7 minutes, and the midfielder made no mistake from the edge of the box.
Institute could have equalised on 12 minutes when Paul Brown headed just over, but the visitors had to wait just another five minutes for a goal when Paddy McLaughlin rose highest to head a corner against the post and just over the line.
On 28 minutes Mark Miskimmin reacted quickest when the ball was headed on by Kris Lindsay to give his side the lead again, and while Jim Ervin and Billy Joe Burns went close, the half finished 2-1 to The Blues.
Burns and Munster had good chances to score inside the first quarter of the second half, but the game took a twist with ten minutes to go when Linfield substitute Curtis Allen was sent off, and with barely five minutes to go Institute equalised when a Paul Lowry shot was deflected past Stuart Addis.
The final whistle sounded not long after this, and results elsewhere meant Linfield went top of the table for the first time this season, just ahead of Crusaders and Glentoran on goal difference.
Linfield 2-0 Lisburn Distillery
at Windsor Park
3rd November 2009
It took The Blues just 10 minutes to take the lead when Kris Lindsay escaped the attentions of the returning Glenn Ferguson to head a Michael Carvill corner past a helpless Philip Matthews.
And while Linfield were completely dominant for the rest of the half, goal number two only came on 32 minutes when Billy Joe Burns got on the end of a teasing cross from the busy Carvill to head past Matthews.
Half time then arrived with no further addition to the scoring.
Linfield were also dominant for the entire second half, and while Mark Miskimmin, Damien Curran, Jamie Mulgrew and Michael Gault went close, the dangerous Ferguson had two chances to score late on, his headers going just wide on both occasions.
Newry City 0-6 Linfield
at The Showgrounds
7th November 2009
The first chance of the game fell to Linfield after 15 minutes, Paul Munster scuffing his shot from close range, and goalkeeper Neil Gallagher was able to save.
Newry went close at the other end when Stephen Garrett broke clear, but a challenge from Steven Douglas put the striker off, and on 29 minutes Curtis Allen fired home from a difficult angle to open the scoring.
And it was 2-0 on 43 minutes when Munster was fouled in the box by Emmett Friars, and up stepped Jim Ervin to fire his penalty past Gallagher.
Things got even worse for the home side just before the half time whistle when Garrett was sent off for a rash challenge on substitute Conor Hagan.
Linfield continues to press forward from the start of the second period, and the third goal came on 49 minutes when Allen got the faintest of touches to a Billy Joe Burns cross.
The fourth goal arrived just 3 minutes later, again from the penalty spot, Ervin again scoring from 12 yards following a foul on Michael Carvill, and it was 5-0 on 69 minutes when Allen completed his hattrick when he fired past a seriously overworked Gallagher.
And as if that wasn’t bad enough, Kris Lindsay headed home from a Carvill corner to complete a convincing 6-0 demolition of the home side.
CIS Insurance Cup
Newry City 1-1 Linfield
at The Showgrounds
31st October 2009
This CIS Insurance Cup 1st Round, 1st Leg tie, finished with honours even, Andy Graham putting the home side ahead on 73 minutes, only for Paul Munster to equalise with eight minutes to go.
Co. Antrim Shield
Linfield 1-0 Cliftonville
at The Oval
21st October 2009
Cliftonville had the best of the early chances, Francis Murphy shooting straight at Stuart Addis, then on 25 minutes a fierce Liam Boyce shot hit the post, before Mark Miskimmin had a couple of chances to score, but the first half ended goalless.
Into the second half, and on 51 minutes a storming run by Jim Ervin ended with him laying the ball off to Miskimin, and the young striker made no mistake from the edge of the box for what was to be the only goal of a closely fought encounter.
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Blues Top As Rivals Falter
As the inaugural Carling Premiership season nears the half way mark, a Linfield side which has been relatively unchanged in recent weeks has opened up a five point gap at the top of the table as rivals Crusaders and Glentoran have gone through a bad patch, with the future of the East Belfast side’s manager Alan McDonald now the subject of much debate.
And while the form of defenders Jim Ervin, Kris Lindsay and captain Steven Douglas has been nothing short of outstanding, it is midfielder Jamie Mulgrew who has picked up the October Northern Ireland Football Writers Player of the Month award, just reward for a storming run of excellent games since his return from injury. And, not to be outdone, his manager David Jeffrey picked up his 25th Manager of the Month award, a double celebration for the league leaders.
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| Supporting the Poppy Appeal, former Miss Northern Ireland Judith Wilson with Linfield players. |
Linfield on the Web
Keep up to date with all the latest news from Windsor Park at www.linfieldfc.com. This also now includes a new, very welcome, addition Linfield TV, where Bluemen can access highlights of recent games.
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