Larne back on league summit after emphatic victory over Crusaders at Seaview

The Inver man have lost merely once in the Sports Direct campaign this season and that impressive record never came under threat in a game they totally dominated possession.

It was the strike partnership of Andy Ryan and Lee Bonis who made it another night of misery for the Crues in front of their home fans – they haven’t won on the Shore Road since beating Ballymena United on October 13.

Ryan bagged a delightful double, while Bonis headed a goal of the season contender.

To make matters worse for Crusaders, they had skipper Billy Joe Burns dismissed 21 minutes from time following a horrible challenge on Jaziel Orozco.

Yes, it certainly was a statement of title intent by the reigning champions.

Larne shot out from the blocks and were almost in front after only four minutes when Lee Bonis’s cross from the right found Levi Ives and his vicious low drive was brilliantly beaten away by goalkeeper Johnny Tuffey.

Ives again came close to breaking the deadlock two minutes later when he fired a 20-yard free kick inches over the crossbar after Daniel Larmour flattened Bonis.

After soaking up the early pressure, the Crues began asking questions at the other end with Jude Winchester firing in a cross from the right that Rohan Ferguson had to flip over the top.

Larne had the ball in the net on 21 minutes when Andy Ryan superbly finished off a pass from Bonis, but referee Tim Marshall disallowed the effort after the striker had strayed offside.

And, the visitors came desperately close five minutes later. Ryan and Bonis set up the chance for the prolific Joe Thomson, whose rasping drive flashed just the wrong side of the post.

The visitors had a let-off just before the half hour. Ross Clarke somehow twisted and turned to create a yard of space on the left before sending in a low cross that forced Ferguson to paw clear.

Ryan then burst into life 10 minutes before the interval, picking up a pass from Tomas Cosgrove before leaving Billy Joe Burns in his wake and, when he let fly from 25 yards, the ball fizzed just over.

Larne required merely 60 seconds to forge into the lead after the restart. Cosgrove’s corner kick from the left was nodded into the six-yard box by Millar and Ryan did the rest with the flick of his head.

Almost immediately, the Crues were appealing for a penalty after Lloyd Anderson went down under a challenge from Craig Farquhar, but the referee wasn’t impressed.

They struck again five minutes later with a fantastic strike from Bonis. It was long-striding Millar who crossed from the right and when the ball arrived on the head of the big striker, there was always going to be one outcome, his bullet header exploding past Tuffey.

Although Paul Heatley had a goal wiped out for the home team, Larne sealed the deal on 67 minutes when Jarlath O’Rourke hauled down Cosgrove inside the box. Ryan nonchalantly rolled the spot kick into the bottom corner.

The Crues lost Burns for a silly challenge on midfielder Orozco two minutes later – it hardly mattered as the game was over as a contest.