Sunday stroll for Linfield

The Danske Bank Premiership champions turned on the style in front of 2806 spectators who turned up to see the club’s first ever game staged on the Sabbath.

Linfield are involved in Europa Conference League action on Thursday – the face RFS of Latvia away from home this week -- which forced them to move their three opening League games to a Sunday.

Kirk Millar, Ethan Devine, Eetu Vertainen and substitute Andrew Clarke grabbed the goals against a much-changed Portadown team to send the fans home happy.

“It was a professional job,” said Healy. “The important thing at the start of this campaign was getting off to a winning start. We only got back from playing Zurich on Friday . . . it didn’t give us much time to prepare for the game.

“Credit to the players. They know the rules, they know their jobs. We mixed and matched in the 4-3-3 formation we played. They players understood and adapted superbly well.

“Could we have been better? Of course. We created a number of chances and possibly could have done a bit better in front of goal. We had to be respectful to Portadown. There were three or four players in their team that we haven’t seen in the League before.

“I was pleased with the performance and the manner of our victory. We had four different goal scorers and that’s going to be crucial going forward, it’s all about building confidence and building relationships.”

The champions required merely seven minutes to forge into the lead.

Vertainen burst down the left only to see his shot blocked, but when it broke for Millar, his low drive found the net, off the outstretched boot of defender Paddy McNally.

After that it was all one-way traffic. Joel Cooper curled an audacious attempt just wide following a quickly taken free kick from Kyle McClean before Vertainen scuffed a shot past the post when he should have done better.

Stevie Fallon then forced Jethen Barr into a smart save on 19 minutes, with Robbie McDaid unable to stab home the rebound . . . ahead of Ethan Devine’s spectacular scissors kick that fizzed over the top.

The Blues were right out of luck in their next attack. This time Vertainen’s cut-back found Devine only for his goal bound shot to ricochet off the heel of McDaid on the line.

Portadown had to wait 33 minutes for a sniff at the other end, but Chris Johns – making his 100th appearance for the Blues, got down to save a Paddy McNally volley at the base of the post.

Johns produced an even better save seconds before the interval, going full length to keep out a well struck low shot from Mark Russell.

The Blues went for a killer second after the interval, but Barr managed to get both gloves to a wickedly hit volley from Vertainen on 55 minutes just before Sam Roscoe’s header flashed against the inside of the post following a Cooper corner kick.

But they did strike again two minutes later. Millar turned provider, with a cute little chip to the back post and Devine gave it the finish it deserved with a spectacular scissors kick. There was nothing Lee Upton could have done about it on the line.

It was game, set and match 18 minutes from time with Millar the tormentor in chief once again. His sublime cross was met by Devine, who nodded across the face for Vertainen to power home with the flick of his head.

Clarke put the icing on the cake by nabbing a fourth five minutes from time. Inevitably, Millar was involved, his cross was met by McDaid and the substitute had merely to tap home.

Portadown boss Paul Doolin insisted his boys ran out of steam against the full-timers.

“Linfield are a good team, we knew what to expect,” he said. “They started off well and scored early on, but after that we got a foothold on the game. I thought we played well and limited them to very little chances.

“Yes, they created opportunities, but we had chances as well. We were delighted at half-time, but when the second goal went in, we didn’t look we had the legs in us.

“Linfield looked fit and hungry . . . they have got good players. I think Chris Shields is a very big player for them. But they have been playing in high-profile European games, so their fitness levels are different class.”