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A goal in either half was enough for Linfield to return to winning ways in the Danske Bank Premiership with a victory over Carrick Rangers at Windsor Park this afternoon.

The first half saw Carrick Rangers take up a well-structured defensive set-up with the intention of playing on the ball and Linfield found it hard to find a way through for a large part of the opening 45. Joel Cooper threatened twice, firstly firing a shot down Hogg’s throat, before curling a shot just wide of the post from the edge of the box.

The visitors created a good chance on the break when Stewart Nixon put in a good cross and Kyle Cherry got on the end of it, but he could only head over the bar and Niall Quinn’s men would soon regret not making the most of their chance.

Linfield found the opening goal on 41 minutes with a great passage of play, cutting through a stubborn back line like a knife through butter. Joel Cooper threaded a neat pass out left to Niall Quinn who had time to put the ball across goal for the unmarked Andy Waterworth to tap home on his 500th Irish League start.

The Blues almost added a second a few minutes later when Niall Quinn delivered a cross of high quality with the outside of his left foot but Mark Stafford powered a header over the crossbar.

Half Time: Linfield 1 – 0 Carrick Rangers

Linfield thought they’d scored what would have been a superb second goal. Kirk Millar fed the ball out left to Niall Quinn who picked out Waterworth at the back post with a pinpoint first-time cross, Waterworth finished superbly but was adjudged to have been offside when Quinn fired in the cross.

Kirk Millar was next to be denied, this time by the woodwork. The winger came short to receive a corner before firing a thunderous strike against the upright. The second goal finally arrived on 58 minutes, however. Kirk Millar was the architect as he so often is, bending in a cross with the outside of his right for Mark Stafford at the back post to fire the ball home at the second attempt for his fourth goal of the season.

Bastien Hery performed heroics to bail Linfield out of a messy situation. The Blues were slack at the back as Ferguson gave the ball away with a loose pass, straight to Keke who went past Callacher and rounded the ‘keeper before his seemingly goalbound shot was cleared by the galloping Hery who showed great work ethic.

Joel Cooper looked set to add a third when he stormed past countless Carrick men into the box but just as he was about to pull the trigger he went down under the challenge and was clearly surprised that the referee didn’t point to the spot. Kirk Millar then picked the ball up before curling a shot just past the upright.

The Blues were in total command and were able to see the game out comfortably in the closing stages as they head into next week’s two-legged ‘Unite the Union’ Cup clash with Dundalk on a high.

Full Time: Linfield 2 – 0 Carrick Rangers

LinfieldFC.com Man of the Match: Jamie Mulgrew

Match Images

1. David Healy : I thought we were comfortable for long periods of the game
2. Manager’s programme notes
3. Stephen Fallon programme article