Linfield trail Larne by seven points in Danske Bank Premiership title race after stalemate with Crusaders

David Healy’s champions are now a massive seven points adrift of champions elect Larne and, with only four games remaining, the champagne can be put on ice up at Inver Park.

Although Healy will never admit defeat in the title defence, it’s now going to take something special for the Gibson Cup to remain at Windsor Park for the fifth successive year.

Linfield set out their stall right form the off with big defender Sam Roscoe flicking an inviting corner kick from Matty Clarke inches over the top.

Crusaders midfielder Philip Lowry then attempted an audacious 40-yard lob, having spotted Chris Johns slightly off his line, but the ball drifted wide.

Blues defender Jimmy Callacher then ballooned a decent chance over the top on 10 minutes, getting on the end of a Kirk Millar free kick after Devine had been flattened by Josh Robinson.

Healy’s plans received a blow on 19 minutes when skipper Jamie Mulgrew had to be helped off with a knee injury, the legacy of an earlier challenge from Lowry.

But the Crues were right out of luck on 24 minutes. Chris Shield hauled down the strong-running Billy Joe Burns and, when Jordan Forsythe stepped up to hit the 25-yard free kick, he could only hold his head in his hands after it crashed off the crossbar with Johns beaten.

The Crues almost undid all their good early foraging when goalkeeper Johnny Tuffey and defender Daniel Larmour got themselves into a horrible little tangle, but Cooper was forced wide and failed to get away a shot on the gaping goal.

Linfield carved out another chance before the break when Shields took off on a surging run down the right and, when he drilled in a cross, it was brilliantly mopped up by the alert Robinson.

Crusaders roared from the block after the half-time cuppa with Jude Winchester’s darting 30-yard dash ending with a shot that was easily dealt with by Johns before Ebbe tried his luck with a stinging low drive that whistled pas the base of the post.

And, they almost conjured an opening on 56 minutes when Paul Heatley’s delightful little dinked pass sent Ebbe through the middle and, even though he got to the ball before Johns, he couldn’t get enough on it to find the net.

Within seconds, the home fans were on their feet acclaiming a goal when Devine’s header came back off the crossbar and McClean finished, but he had strayed into and offside position.

Healy decided to shake things up with 20 minutes remaining, replacing Devine and Clarke with striker Eetu Vertainen and midfielder Stephen Fallon, who was out for months with a serious injury.

But it was the Crues who looked the most likely to break the deadlock and little Heatley was right out of luck when his acrobatic scissors kick flashed over the top.

Crusaders, however enjoyed a big slick of luck six minutes from time when Millar’s free kick was met back Roscoe at the back post only to see his header cannon come back off the post.

In one last desperate attempt in injury time, Millar was again the provider, but Callacher could only head over the top from practically under the crossbar.

LINFIELD: Johns, Roscoe, Shields, Callacher, Millar, Cooper, M Clarke (Fallon 70), McKee, Finlayson (A Clarke 89), Devine (Vertainen 70), Mulgrew (McClean 19).

Unused subs: Walsh, Haygarth, Annett.

CRUSADERS: Tuffey, Burns, Robinson, Weir (Thompson 90), Lowry, Ebbe (Lecky 74), Forsythe (Hegarty 81), O’Rourke, Winchester, Larmour, Heatley (Owens 90) .

Unused subs: Murphy, McKeown, Clarke.

REFEREE: Shane Andrews.