Crusaders hold Cliftonville in pulsating derby

Joe Gormley missed a late sitter to give Cliftonville the three points

Cliftonville regained second spot in the Irish Premiership after a pulsating 2-2 draw with Crusaders in the north Belfast derby at Seaview.

Cliftonville hit back with two goals from the returning Ryan Curran.

Crusaders substitute Ross Clarke fired home an equaliser with 10 minutes left to ensure that the Reds still trail leaders Larne by six points.

Both sides had good openings inside the first 10 minutes. Firstly Paul Heatley's flick sent Dean Ebbe clear on goal but Cliftonville keeper Nathan Gartside kept the effort out with an outstretched leg.

At the other end, Curran, making his first start since December, laid the ball off for Ronan Hale who curled an effort with the outside of his right foot which appeared to clip the outside of the post on its way past.

• Crusaders hold rivals Cliftonville - as it happened

Ebbe then dug out a cross from the right which the in-rushing Philip Lowry headed narrowly wide, then Jude Winshester's curling effort was pushed away by Gartside.

Crusaders took the lead in spectacular fashion on 26 minutes after Chris Gallagher brought down Daniel Larmour 25 yards from goal.

Forsythe lined up the free kick and he produced a superb shot up and over the defensive wall and past the despairing dive of Gartside.

Cliftonville levelled on 35 minutes when Kris Lowe's cross from the right found its way to Curran to convert from close range.

The visitors should have been ahead in first-half injury time when Ronan Doherty broke the Crusaders offside trap and although his shot beat Jonny Tuffey, Billy Joe Burns got back to brilliantly clear the ball off the line.

A scrappy second period burst into life 20 minutes from the end when Josh Robinson body-checked Rory Hale inside the penalty area and Curran sent Tuffey the wrong way from the penalty spot.

But there was a further twist as Crusaders levelled on 80 minutes when half-time substitute Clarke cut in from the left flank and his crisp right-footed shot arrowed into the bottom corner of the net.

Cliftonville should have claimed the points in stoppage time when Ronan Hale's low cross from the left was somehow side-footed wide from close range by substitute Joe Gormley, and Crues midfielder Declan Caddell fired over from close range in the final play as both sides had to settle for a draw.