Linfield success in six-goal thriller with Glenavon

Midfielder Chris Shields bagged a double with Chris McKee and the unplayable Joel Cooper piling on the pain as Glenavon slumped to their third defeat of the Sport Direct Premiership campaign.

Glenavon fans did have something to cheer as Stephen Teggart and Calum Birney provided the scoreline a more respectable appearance.

The visitors were almost caught cold right from the off when goalkeeper Rory Brown appeared to lose flight of Jack Scott’s cross and was fortunate to see the ball clip the top of the crossbar.

Linfield put their foot on the gas and were almost in front on 11 minutes when Kirk Millar’s cross picked out Scott, whose header was humped off the line by Birney.

The Blues thought they had broken the deadlock in their next attack when Scott tuned neatly before finding the net, only for the effort to be ruled out by referee Tony Clarke for offside.

Healy’s men took the lead on 16 minutes. Matty Clarke’s persistence on the left resulted in Brown clawing his cross but when it fell to Scott he drilled it back into the box for McKee to flash home.

The home fans were still celebrating when the Lurgan Blues levelled. Peter Campbell’s shot came back off a defender but fell perfectly for Teggart, whose raking drive left Chris Johns totally helpless.

After that it was total Linfield pressure. Millar’s low drive crashed back off a post following a great pass from Kyle McClean.

Cooper then burst into action, taking off on a scintillating 40-yard dash before being hauled down by Campbell. But McClean’s 20-yard free-kick flashed over the top.

Glenavon almost stole the lead on 50 minutes only for Johns to produce a wonder save to keep out a Campbell free-kick.

But the Blues were ahead again two minutes later, through Cooper’s wonder strike. He managed to tip-toe his way past challenge after challenge before blasting an unstoppable effort past Brown.

The game was over as a contest just on the hour when Tiarnan Mulvenna fouled McClean inside the box and although Shields’ effort was saved by Brown, the big midfielder followed up to ram home the rebound.

Shields was at it again five minutes later. This time McKee was flattened by Brown and Shields sent him the wrong way from the spot.

Glenavon pulled one back 16 minutes from time when Birney headed in a Campbell corner-kick from practically under the crossbar.

LINFIELD: Johns, Newberry, Shields, Scott, Millar (McKay, 76), McClean, Cooper (Mulgrew, 90), Hall, M.Clarke, McKee (Robertson, 68), Fitzpatrick (O’Brien, 76).

Subs (not used): Walsh, Archer, McStravick.

GLENAVON: Brown, Birney, Snoddy (Kerr, 76), Campbell (Henderson, 76), Baird, McCloskey (Malone, 46), Teggart, Prenderast (Nesbitt, 76), Mulvenna (Doran, 76), Wallace, Garrett (Henderson, 76).

Subs (not used): Kerr, Rogers, Mooney, Doran, Nesbitt, Henderson.

Referee: Tony Clarke.