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An early Christy Manzinga strike coupled with a crucial double defensive block at the death ensured Linfield bounced back from Tuesday’s County Antrim Shield defeat with a hard-fought league victory over Ballymena United at Windsor Park this afternoon.

The first chance of the game came after two minutes when Christy Manzinga rose well to flick on Chris Johns’ long ball into the path of Stephen Fallon before the midfielder took on a shot from just inside the box which was deflected wide for a corner that came to nothing.

Linfield then took the lead on 15 minutes after a spell of pressure. The move initially came from Manzinga cutting inside from the left to hit a shot which was blocked and after David Jeffrey’s defenders couldn’t clear, Niall Quinn teed up Manzinga who found the top corner from 20 yards for his 18th goal of the season.

Manzinga almost scored a second on 23 minutes when he timed his run brilliantly to break in behind the United backline to reach a through pass by Jamie Mulgrew, but with a defender backtracking behind him and an onrushing goalkeeper facing him, the striker didn’t have much room and he opted to try and go past the goalkeeper who did well to get an arm on the ball before it sat for Fallon who was fouled on the edge of the box. Martin Donnelly’s free-kick from 20 yards was well saved by United ‘keeper Johnston.

The striker was almost in again ten minutes before the break when he received the ball from Sam Roscoe and after carrying the ball forward he was 1v1 with United full-back Sean Graham who defended brilliantly when he needed to, to tackle Manzinga and stop the attack. Minutes later, he went close after dribbling in cleverly from the left to make room for a shot which didn’t have quite enough curl on it to find the corner.

Ballymena United were forced into a substitution late in the first half when midfielder Douglas Wilson had to be withdrawn after a knock and he was replaced by Kym Nelson who was making his debut for the Sky Blues after signing from Ards this week.

Half Time: Linfield 1-0 Ballymena United

Five minutes into the second half, Christy Manzinga threatened yet again. Once again he cut inside from the left side to create himself room for a shot which he was disappointed to fire wide from the edge of the box.

New signing Chris McKee came on in the 72nd minute for his Linfield debut after the young ex Linfield Academy forward signed on loan from Rangers FC this week. He played through the middle as Christy Manzinga moved out to the left.

Debutant McKee almost marked the occasion with a goal and he was disappointed not to as the striker met Kirk Millar’s pinpoint cross from the right, but he headed wide from close range.

Jimmy Callacher then came to Linfield’s rescue at the other end when he headed out a wicked corner delivery from Steven McCullough which flashed beyond Chris Johns’ grasp.

Just as was the case when the teams met last month, Linfield were comfortable but couldn’t find a second goal. Ballymena were happy to sit in until the last five minutes when they threw everything at it in search for an equaliser.

It took some heroic defending to deny Ballymena United what looked like a certain goal in injury time. The Sky Blues flooded the box and worked the ball to Andy McGrory on the right and he picked out Conor Keeley who shot from close range, only to be denied by an outstanding piece of defending by Niall Quinn who managed to get a goal-saving block in. Similarly, Kirk Millar produced brilliant defensive instincts as the ball was headed beyond Chris Johns on the follow-up but Millar did brilliantly to get back and hook off the line.

The Blues extended their lead to five points, with nearest title rivals Cliftonville and Glentoran going head-to-head on Monday evening.

Full Time: Linfield 1 – 0 Ballymena United

LinfieldFC.com Man of the Match: Kyle McClean

Match Images

1. David Healy : Our first half performance was really good
2. Manager’s programme notes
3. Ethan Devine programme article