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It was an afternoon to forget for Linfield who were well beaten by Larne at Windsor Park in the Danske Bank Premiership.

A poor start from the Blues set the tone as they went behind after just three minutes. Kirk Millar slipped when he went to clear the ball inside his own box and trying to make amends, he tried to win the ball back when he caught the heels of Larne forward Lee Bonis which led to the awarding of a penalty. Ben Doherty converted for Larne, tucking the ball low into the left corner with Chris Johns guessing the opposite side.

Just four minutes later, Larne doubled their lead to make it a nightmare start for Linfield whose heads were perhaps still down from the early setback. Nonetheless, it was an excellent goal from Tiernan Lynch’s men who broke with pace and purpose. Leroy Millar led the breakaway before a precise through ball to Lee Bonis to his right, running beyond Sam Roscoe who was beaten for pace and then Bonis pulled the ball across goal for Paul O’Neill to slot in at close range.

The Blues did settle after that and should have pulled a goal back after 25 minutes when, following a corner, Daniel Finlayson headed the ball on to Chris Shields unmarked in the six yard box but he could only fire straight at Rohan Ferguson from close range.

Shields then turned an awkward cross from Tomas Cosgrove into his own net at the other end, but Chris Johns reacted to make the save. Soon after, Matthew Clarke made an important block to deny Paul O’Neill who met Ben Doherty’s deep cross with a volley at the back post.

Linfield pulled a goal back four minutes before the break, scored by their best performer, Cameron Palmer who finished well on the volley from twelve yards from Kirk Millar’s cross from the right.

Half Time: Linfield 1 – 2 Larne

The Blues were lifted by the goal and were on top at the start of the second half. The next goal was going to be crucial and Linfield were so close to getting it when Joel Cooper’s strike from inside the box struck the crossbar following nice interplay on the left between Matthew Clarke and McClean.

Kirk Millar also went close at the beginning of the second half when he was teed up by Cammy Palmer who’d dispossessed Fuad Sule, but the winger was unlucky to see his low strike flash wide of the post from outside the box. Eetu Vertainen also fired a low strike wide, although he’ll have been disappointed not to have at least made the goalkeeper work following good play from Joel Cooper.

A killer blow for Linfield came on 59 minutes as Larne struck against the run of play. The Blues’ defence switched off, allowed veteran Jeff Hughes to whip in a pinpoint cross around the back of Sam Roscoe for Lee Bonis to slide in a third Larne goal.

The Inver Reds then rubbed salt into the Linfield wound with a fourth goal, twenty minutes from time and again it came from Larne’s left side. This time it was Ben Doherty who whipped in a low cross which was tucked away by midfielder Leroy Millar in the middle.

Substitute striker Ethan Devine netted a consolation goal for the Blues six minutes from time. It was an excellent strike from a 20 yard free-kick which he whipped over the wall and inside the near post beyond Ferguson.

Full Time: Linfield 2 – 4 Larne

LinfieldFC.com Man of the Match: Cameron Palmer

Match Images

1. Manager’s programme notes
2. Andrew Clarke programme article