In a rare Sunday afternoon fixture, the Blues made the relatively short trip to Taylors Avenue to take on Carrick Rangers with a 12:30 kick-off this afternoon due to Sky Sports’ live broadcast selection.
The last time Sky Sports televised this fixture was back in September 2019 when the Blues came away from a wet and windy Carrickfergus with a 3-0 victory courtesy of goals from Mark Stafford, Niall Quinn, and an own goal from former blue Reece Neale.
There was to be no repeat of that scoreline this time – in fact, it took just three minutes for that scenario to be ruled out as Carrick Rangers took an early lead. It came from a corner which the Blues never fully cleared. Kyle Cherry’s corner was headed out by a Linfield defender, but Carrick won the second ball as it dropped for Joe Crowe with space inside the box and he hammered in a half-volley with the help of a deflection. David Walsh – brought into the Linfield starting eleven in place of Chris Johns – was beaten by the deflection.
Linfield’s other two changes from the team which lost 2-1 to Cliftonville last week saw Jamie Mulgrew and Ethan McGee come in for Josh Archer and Charlie Allen in midfield. It took the Blues a while to get into any kind of rhythm. Carrick forced another corner a short time after the opener. Once again, they crowded the Linfield six-yard box and the corner delivery was met by Luke McCullough, but he headed wide.
Carrick Rangers’ early goal meant the hosts had something to hang onto, and they looked to slow the game down at every opportunity. The Blues were trying to find some rhythm and they started to pick up after a slow start when Kirk Millar started to see more of the ball midway through the first half.
However, despite the Blues’ possession, it was a case of huff-and-puff in a first half where they struggled to make the goalkeeper work. Kirk Millar had a decent, well-struck effort from distance which went not far over the bar, but ultimately Carrick ‘keeper Ben McCauley – who was in for the suspended Ross Glendinning – didn’t have much to do in the opening 45.
Similarly, David Walsh didn’t have a save to make in the first half following Carrick’s opener. That said, there was one very dangerous attack from the hosts in added time at the end of the half. Left-winger Nedas Maciulaitis broke down the wing and whipped in a tantalising cross by the face of goal. It looked like striker Curtis Allen was going to receive it – and if he had, it would probably have been a goal – only for Euan East to nip in ahead of him at the back post. A brilliant and crucial piece of defending at a key point in the match.
It was a physical first half, one which the Blues had plenty of the ball but needed to up the ante in the final third in the second half.
HT: Carrick Rangers 1-0 Linfield
The Blues certainly were much-improved in the second half, dominating the majority of it. That said, they had a scare 6 minutes after the break as David Cushley’s crafty corner almost took Linfield ‘keeper by surprise, with the ball hitting the post directly from the corner. He could have been trying to pick out Curtis Allen’s run across the front post. In any case, it was an anxious moment for the Blues.
Linfield were unlucky not to draw level on the hour-mark when a goalmouth scramble followed Joel Cooper’s corner delivery into the home team’s six-yard box, with Scot Whiteside’s effort from close range striking the post.
A short time later, Carrick’s stand-in goalkeeper Ben McCauley made a smart save to tip over Euan East’s close-range effort. Midway through the second half Linfield were battering at the door and it felt like it was only a matter of time before they’d equalise. But the longer the relentless pressure went on without a reward, doubts naturally started to creep in.
David Healy brought Charlie Allen on against his local team with 20 minutes remaining and the young maestro gave the Blues further spark. As Carrick tried everything to halt the Blues’ momentum, Jamie Mulgrew was on the wrong end of a nasty challenge from Curtis Allen, with the Carrick man perhaps fortunate to only see yellow. Thankfully, Mulgrew was able to overcome it.
The long-awaited equalised then finally arrived in the 77th minute when Kirk Millar crossed from the right and it was cushioned by Joel Cooper into the path of Kyle McClean who drove a left-footed strike into the far corner from just inside the box.
The way the match was going, such was the Linfield momentum, it always looked as if the Blues would go on to win once they found an equaliser, and that proved to be the case as David Healy’s men struck again to take the lead just three minutes after the leveller. Joel Cooper played a one-two with Millar on the right to open up space and, just minutes after putting a shot wide from a similar position, there was no denying Cooper this time as he hammered in a low strike from outside the box. The goalkeeper got something on it but was beaten by the power. It was Cooper’s 10th goal of the season.
The Blues had a brief scare in the 82nd minute when David Walsh was unable to keep hold of a corner delivery, then the hosts had a penalty appeal waved away seconds later. However, Linfield managed their lead well. At times this season they’ve been criticised on sitting back and defending their leads, but on this occasion they were positive and continued to play high up the pitch.
This was rewarded with a third goal to seal the victory three minutes into the additional five. Matthew Fitzpatrick was caught from behind inside the box after getting goalside of a defender, resulting in a penalty kick, which Chris Shields stepped up to convert; his fourth of the season.
A spirited comeback resulting in a victory which puts the Blues five points clear at the top of the Sports Direct Premiership.
FT: Carrick Rangers 1-3 Linfield