Late Conor McKendry strike helps champions Larne seal first Premiership victory of the season with Linfield success

TEAMS

LINFIELD: Johns, East, Whiteside, Shields, Millar, McClean, Cooper, Allen, McBrien, McGee, Fitzpatrick.

Subs: Walsh, Ballantyne, McKee, Archer, Mulgrew, Annett, McKay.

LARNE: Ferguson, Want, Thomson, Graham, Marsh, Nolan, Todd, Cosgrove, Sloan, Ryan, Lusty.

Subs: Besant, Ives, McKendry, O’Neill, Magee, Seary, Gallagher.

Referee: Shane Andrews.

FIRST-HALF

14: Matthew Fitzpatrick and Shaun Want go up to contest a long ball and it looks like the Larne centre-back is worse off. Pushing and shoving from players from both sides and ultimately no one is booked.

18: Fitzpatrick is shown a yellow card this time by Shane Andrews after a challenge on Sean Graham, who gets up and limps away.

22: Crowd furious as Linfield are denied a free-kick after Tomas Cosgrove appeared to cut in front of Joel Cooper, but Andrews having none of it. Good atmosphere inside Windsor for this massive match.

29: Matty Lusty tries to turn inside but is brought down before he can make ground into the box and another free-kick is awarded. Game lacking any sort of momentum.

34: Finally a bit of end-to-end action as Rohan Ferguson sweeps up before Fitzpatrick can link up with Cooper and then moments later Kyle McClean is in the right place to stop the threat of Lusty and Andy Ryan running in behind.

36: Another free-kick and Kirk Millar finds Euan East in space at the back post, but the Scottish defender can only direct his header wide of the post.

41: Larne striker Ryan is booked by Andrews.

45: Two minutes of time added on at the end of the first-half.

HALF-TIME: LINFIELD 0 – 0 LARNE.

SECOND-HALF

48: Wicked cross from Millar causes chaos in the Larne box and Darragh McBrien is only just denied an opportunity to convert at the back post by good defensive play.

52: Lusty cuts in from the right and space opens up so he has a shot on goal which trickles wide of Chris Johns’ post.

55: Charlie Allen makes it to the line and cuts a ball across goal which looks destined to land at Cooper’s feet for a tap in, but a crucial intervention takes the ball out of his path.

58: Linfield looking the more likely to break the deadlock at the moment and go close again as talisman Cooper ducks and weaves in the box before unleashing a shot which requires Ferguson to get down well. Hat-trick of corners in quick succession ultimately come to nothing.

63: Blues continuing to apply the pressure and another low cross from Millar is put out for a corner by George Marsh. Ferguson comes to clear with a good punch.

64: Tiernan Lynch looks to his bench for the first time as Conor McKendry replaces Joe Thomson.

67: Recent signing Ryan Nolan is latest player to be booked after halting Chris Shields who was trying to launch a counter-attack.

68: David Healy makes his maiden change with Chris McKee replacing Darragh McBrien.

75: What a save from Ferguson! Cooper’s pinpoint corner is directed goalwards by East but the goalkeeper makes a stunning stop, diving to his right. Moments later East has another header which he sends straight at Ferguson.

79: GOAL: LARNE (CONOR MCKENDRY) – Totally against the run of play Larne take the lead! Lusty is somehow left in acres of space, he beats Scot Whiteside and is only denied by Johns, but the rebound falls into the path of substitute McKendry who slams home from close range. 1-0.

81: Frustrated Cooper flies into a late tackle on Sam Todd and is rightfully booked by Andrews.

84: Lusty threatens to cut inside on Whiteside once again but a recovery run from Ethan McGee dispossesses the Larne attacker.

85: Triple substitution for Larne with Benji Magee, Chris Gallagher and Levi Ives replacing Andy Ryan, George Marsh and Matty Lusty while Healy sends on another striker as Rhys Annett is sent on in place of Scot Whiteside.

89: Chris Shields is booked for bringing down goalscorer McKendry as he attempted to dance inside.

90: Seven minutes of added time.

90+3: Another Cooper cross finds the head of Fitzpatrick but under pressure his header is directed straight at Ferguson.

FULL TIME: LINFIELD 0 – 1 LARNE.