Blues beat Coleraine to stay top as Ballymena edge Ports

Linfield remain two points clear at the Premiership summit thanks to a 3-0 win at Coleraine.

Rory Brown's own goal came after a Joel Cooper opener and Kyle McClean added the third on 41 minutes.

Balymena United stay second with Ethan Devine's header on the stroke of half-time securing a 1-0 victory over Portadown at Shamrock Park.

Dungannon Swifts thumped 10-man Carrick Rangers 4-0 and Crusaders overcame Loughgall by the same scoreline while the Oval encounter between Glentoran and Glenavon ended goalless.

The three first-half goals had Linfield firmly in control at the break, a lead they never looked like relinquishing against an outclassed home side.

The visitors had a glorious chance to open the scoring as early as the first minute when Cooper fluffed his lines in front of goal, but the breakthrough wasn’t long in coming.

Midway through the opening half Matthew Fitzpatrick pulled the ball back from the byline into the path of Cooper, who brilliantly found the roof of the net from 12 yards for his fifth goal of the season.

And it was 2-0 five minutes later in bizarre circumstances.

Kirk Millar’s corner completely deceived Coleraine goalkeeper Brown, who fumbled the ball over his own goalline in front of jubilant Linfield fans behind the goal.

There was still time for the league leaders to score a third before half-time as McClean capitalised on yet more slack defending to blast home from six yards past a helpless Brown.

It could have been even better for David Healy’s side, but Brown produced a string of fine saves in the closing stages.

The home side offered little in attack - Matthew Shevlin’s header against a post immediately prior to Linfield’s third goal the closest they came to scoring on a day to forget for Dean Shiels and his players.

Ballymena should have gone in front inside the opening five minutes when Donal Rocks’ cross from the right was headed over from six yards by the unmarked Ben Kennedy.

Portadown might have taken the lead on the half-hour when Josh Ukek controlled a dropping ball inside the penalty area before his snap-shot was turned around the post by Sean O’Neill.

The hosts looked to be finishing the first half strongly but were hit with a real sucker punch with a Ballymena goal on the stroke of half-time.

Danny Lafferty released Josh Carson on the left flank and his cross was met with a full-length diving header by Devine, with the ball looping beyond the reach of Aaron McCarey and going in off the inside of the far post.

Portadown completely dominated possession in the second period and missed a great chance when Steven McCullough ghosted in behind the Ballymena defence to meet Eoghan McCawl’s cross, but his side-footed half-volley was straight at O’Neill.

The Ballymena keeper also dived to his right to grab a Baris Altintop header.

Dungannon hammered 10-man Carrick at Stangmore Park with a John McGovern tap-in, Kealan Dillon stunner, Andrew Mitchell strike and Leon Boyd effort securing all three points for Rodney McAree's in-form Swifts.

Although it was the visitors who looked the more threatening in the first half hour, it was the hosts who broke the deadlock on 33 minutes with a well worked set piece.

James Knowles' free-kick found Cathal McGinty, who squared the ball to McGovern, and he couldn't miss from just a few yards out.

Five minutes later the Swifts doubled their lead with a quite exquisite effort from Dillon. He picked the ball up in the middle of the park and unleashed a devastating strike into the top corner past a helpless Ross Glendinning.

Things went from bad to worse for Stuart King's side as Joe Crowe was then shown a straight red card for his late challenge on Cathal McGinty as the Dungannon skipper was breaking forward.

The Swifts grabbed their third 20 minutes from time as substitute Mitchell fired past Glendinning and into the bottom corner before another substitute Boyd tapped home for their fourth to seal all three points for the impressive Swifts.

Both sides had good opportunities to break the deadlock in the opening 20 minutes.

The home team's Andrew Hoey came close in the 14th minute when his right footed effort was a whisker wide before Jordan Forsythe’s header from Jarlath O'Rourke's free-was gathered by Nathan Gartside.

Just before the break Conor McCloskey’s strong strike from range was palmed away by Jonny Tuffey with the rebound quickly cleared, to the relief of the travelling away fans.

After the restart Ross Clarke's free-kick found Jacob Blaney in the box but the summer signing took an awkward touch before sending his effort well off target.

Kieran Offord then failed to convert two good chances before Franklin headed Clarke's free-kick narrowly wide.

Their persistence eventually paid off as Crusaders broke the deadlock in the 75th minute when Franklin’s low cross from the right flank was converted by O’Rourke at the back post.

in the 84th minute Declan Caddell’s side doubled their lead in style after Clarke’s curling strike from just outside the box pinged off the underside of the crossbar and into the back of the net.

The away side were then awarded a penalty after Franklin showed great skill down the left wing and cut into the box before being brought down. Forsythe took the resulting spot-kick, firing into the bottom right-hand corner past Gartside, who had gone the correct way.

The goals weren’t done there though as in additional time substitute Stewart Nixon took advantage of a mix-up between Jamie Rea and Adam Towe before travelling into the box and slotting home.

The game was only a minute old when Glenavon striker David McDaid had the first effort of the game, drilling a low strike from the edge of the box, but it was well saved by Daniel Gyollai.

It would be almost another 30 minutes until the hosts created their first chance, with James Singleton’s acrobatic effort sailing over the bar from 12 yards out.

Glentoran almost snatched the lead on half-time without having to touch the ball.

From a free-kick out on the right, a Glenavon defender hooked the ball inadvertently towards his own goal where it was destined to drop in over the head of Gareth Deane, but James Carroll was on hand to clear away to safety.

Frankie Hvid went close for the home side just after the break, but his header was straight at Deane - however, the best chance of the game fell to the visitors on 75 minutes.

Keith Ward's free-kick from 25-yards out was half-saved by Gyollai onto the foot of James Carroll, but he could not find a way past the keeper from a yard out as he made another stop.

The ball then fell at the feet of Barney McKeown, but the defender could also only fire into Gyollai from close range.

Jay Donnelly went close at the other end before Glenavon could have won it five minutes from time.

A mistake from Frankie Hvid allowed Harry Lynch to gather the ball and race through on goal, but his effort was superbly saved by the advancing Gyollai as the two teams had to settle for a point apiece.