Linfield extended their lead at the top of the Sports Direct Premiership to eleven points with a hard-fought win over Dungannon Swifts at Stangmore Park this evening.
It was a meeting of the top two, and the team with the best home record in the League (Dungannon Swifts) against the team with the League’s best away record (Linfield), so it was certainly well poised.
This match was originally to be played ten days ago, however the referee called the match off 70 minutes before kick-off that day, owing to Storm Darragh and its concomitant effects. This time, it was another rough night as it poured from the heavens all evening, although the match was never in any doubt and was considerably well attended for a midweek fixture at this busy tine of year.
The first half of the match wasn’t overly eventful with not much between the teams which reflected what the League table shows. The main talking point of the first half came ten minutes before half-time when Linfield had a strong penalty appeal turned down by the referee when Matthew Fitzpatrick seemed to be caught late by Swifts midfielder Gael Bigirimana with a lunging tackle inside the box.
Joel Cooper also went close in the closing stages of the half when he won a free-kick 25 yards from the Swifts’ goal, getting chopped down after neat footwork. The attacker was teed off by Kirk Millar and put his foot through the lay-off, striking the ball sweetly and drawing a good save from Declan Dunne down low to his right. A home defender then did well to make a vital block to deny Jamie Mulgrew on the rebound.
Former Linfield man James Knowles had gone close for the home team when the central midfielder struck a free-kick sweetly from the left midway through the half, but his effort went just over the crossbar.
Both teams cancelled each other out in the first half which resulted in few clear-cut chances. Understandably, both teams wanted to keep things tight, although it almost opened up for the hosts in the last action of the half when Leo Alves played a clever pass over the top of the Blues’ back four in search of John McGovern, but the Dungannon striker couldn’t quite take it in.
HT: Dungannon Swifts 0-0 Linfield
The second half was a more eventful, absorbing contest. A classic ‘blood and thunder’ Irish League match in many ways, with some full-blooded, fair challenges going in and both teams attacking with urgency.
Home goalkeeper Declan Dunne was fortunate not to cost his team three minutes into the second half when he received a backpass which he sliced across the face of his own goalline. Luckily for Dunne, there was just about enough pace on it to ensure Kirk Millar wasn’t able to turn it into an empty net by the time he retrieved the ball.
The Blues then took the lead in the 53rd minute at Stangmore Park. Left-back Euan East played the ball into Joel Cooper who turned sharply and let the ball run across his body before pulling the trigger with his weaker right foot from a central position as his shot trickled into the bottom left corner for his 13th goal of the season.
Kirk Millar was unlucky not to double the Blues’ lead just minutes later. The winger, who was a great record of scoring at Stangmore Park, saw the ball fall kindly for him inside the box following a right-wing cross from Jamie Mulgrew and he hit a swift snapshot which was well saved by Declan Dunne who reacted quickly to save with his leg.
A frantic period in the match followed around the hour-mark, firstly with Dungannon Swifts’ John McGovern going close to equalising. James Knowles performed a clever shimmy on the right to deceive Euan East which led to a crossing opportunity, from which he picked out the head of forward McGovern who rose well in the middle, only to see his header well saved by David Walsh who dived to push it away to his right.
There were then two crosses which came into the Dungannon Swifts box in fairly quick succession from Kirk Millar and Joel Cooper into the corridor of uncertainty, but on both occasions Matthew Fitzpatrick was a matter of inches away and couldn’t quite make contact.
There was almost what would have been a controversial equaliser on 67 minutes. Linfield midfielder Chris Shields appeared to win the ball cleanly with a slide tackle, but referee Declan Hassan booked Shields and awarded a free-kick to Dungannon Swifts 25 yards from the Blues’ net. James Knowles struck it ever so sweetly and was unlucky to see it come back off the woodwork.
The Swifts then felt hard done by minutes later when they were awarded a free-kick right on the edge of the box when they felt the foul was inside the box, so they were adamant they should have had a penalty. Knowles delivered it but Linfield defended it adequately.
With Kirk Millar again not feeling 100%, the winger was replaced by Josh Archer for the final 28 minutes as the Blues looked to remain solid, and they did a good job of limiting the Swifts’ opportunities, although David Walsh had to be alert in the 85th minute when defender Cahal McGinty hit a half-volley from 25 yards which needed saving, and Walsh did a good job of it down to his left.
Dungannon Swifts then played the remaining three minutes – plus an additional four of injury time – with ten men after goalkeeper Declan Dunne was shown a straight red card in the 87th minute. It came about through Matthew Fitzpatrick’s determination to close down a defender to block a pass, which resulted in the ball deflecting forwards. Fitzpatrick continued to charge and was then faced by the onrushing ‘keeper in a footrace 25 yards from goal, and the Linfield forward got there first, flicking the ball forwards in an attempt to bypass the ‘keeper to score into an empty goal, however Dunne blocked it with his hand and was subsequently dismissed for denial of an obvious goalscoring opportunity.
The Swifts then introduced substitute goalkeeper Patrick Solis Grogan at the expense of defender Steven Scott. The Blues managed the game well to see out their lead. The only real opportunity the hosts had was a free-kick on the halfway line, but that was well defended and then Jamie Mulgrew went on a lung-busting run up the field before winning a free-kick in the top corner of the pitch. Great authoritative play from the Blues’ inspirational captain to get his team over the line.
The Blues now turn their attention to a home match against Glenavon this Saturday when David Healy’s men look to try and continue building momentum over the festive period. The Lurgan Blues under the stewardship of new manager Paddy McLaughlin will have their tails up after defeating Crusaders 3-1 this evening. Meanwhile, Linfield will be without Joel Cooper who picked up his fifth booking of the season this evening, thus triggering an automatic one-match suspension.
FT: Dungannon Swifts 0-1 Linfield