It may be Halloween weekend but there certainly weren’t any fireworks at Solitude this afternoon as Cliftonville and Linfield played out a goalless borefest at Sollitude.
Played on a Sunday afternoon for BBC television coverage, Cliftonville announced a sell-out home crowd, whilst 400 Linfield supporters made the trip, with tickets limited to members and season ticket holders.
Linfield’s team was very different to the one that lost 4-1 to the Reds at the same venue in the County Antrim Shield just twelve days prior. There was one change to the Blues’ team that drew 2-2 at Coleraine on Tuesday evening with Charlie Allen replacing Ethan McGee in a change of shape.
Although clear-cut chances were limited in the match, the Blues found themselves with a promising breakaway ten minutes in. A weak corner from Cliftonville captain Rory Hale allowed Charlie Allen to get the ball and send Sam Taylor racing into the Cliftonville half. The young English winger nutmegged a defender before he and Charlie Allen both had shots blocked as the Reds scrambled the ball out.
Cliftonville also had a dangerous break ten minutes later as striker Ryan Curran got down the left and pulled a dangerous low cross by the face of goal, with Euan East coming in to make a vital intervention. If East hadn’t been on his toes, Rory Hale would have strolled onto the ball in a position from which he’d be fancied to score from.
Shortly after, Cliftonville’s other striker Eric McWoods had the best opportunity of the match as he found himself with time and space for a shot from 10 yards after the Blues were caught playing out from the back, but Chris Johns was equal to the Canadian’s shot which was quite central. McWoods will be disappointed not to have scored.
Unfortunately, Linfield were forced into a change on 28 minutes as Euan East was unable to continue after pulling up with a muscle injury, and he was replaced by Dane McCullough.
The only time the Cliftonville goalkeeper was tested was midway through the first half when Sam Taylor’s deep corner was met by Sam Roscoe whose back-post header was caught by PJ Morrison.
Later in the half, Millar was gifted possession on the edge of Cliftonville’s box, but the ball wouldn’t sit kindly and he hooked over a left-footed volley.
HT: CLIFTONVILLE 0-0 LINFIELD
Uninspired by his team’s first-half display, Linfield boss David Healy turned to his bench as Josh Archer and Callumn Morrison replaced Isaac Baird and Sam Taylor at the break, but the Blues’ lack of attacking threat remained a frustration.
The Blues only really had two chances in the second half; firstly, when Fitzpatrick followed in after Charlie Allen had a shot blocked after latching onto Sean Brown’s through ball, only to drill a low strike wide of goal, and secondly, when Callumn Morrison’s cross from the left was headed past the far post by Sam Roscoe.
Linfield’s top scorer Kieran Offord was introduced on 66 minutes. The Scotsman looked lively but despite getting into dangerous areas and showing good feet, things didn’t come off for him in front of goal as Cliftonville got a few vital blocks in.
Offord led a dangerous breakaway on 78 minutes when Kyle McClean sent him racing down the right, however his attempted square ball in search of Callumn Morrison in a promising position through the middle was blocked.
Although it felt like a 0-0 scoreline was inevitable for long periods, Cliftonville went very close to winning the match in the third of four additional minutes as talismanic striker Joe Gormley had a shot deflected onto the crossbar, as his wait for a 300th Cliftonville goal goes on.
Neither team will complain about the result as neither did enough to win the game. Both teams are capable of more than what they displayed this afternoon. The Blues are now 12 points behind leaders Coleraine, albeit with three matches in hand. Next Saturday evening’s match between the Blues and Bannsiders is a big one – but firstly, the Blues travel to east Belfast to face H&W Welders in the League Cup on Wednesday evening.
FT: CLIFTONVILLE 0-0 LINFIELD
CLIFTONVILLE: PJ Morrison (GK), Thomas Lavery (Callum McCay 80’), Odhran Casey, Jack Keaney, Jonathan Addis, Keevan Hawthorne (Conor Barr 69’), Harry Wilson, Joseph Sheridan (Conor Pepper 80’), Rory Hale ©, Ryan Curran , Eric McWoods (Joe Gormley 80’)
Unused subs: Lewis Ridd (GK), Shaun Leppard, Brandon Bermingham
LINFIELD: Chris Johns (GK), Sean Brown, Ben Hall, Sam Roscoe, Euan East (Dane McCullough 28’), Isaac Baird (Josh Archer 45’), Kyle McClean, Kirk Millar ©, Charlie Allen, Sam Taylor (Callumn Morrison 45’), Matthew Fitzpatrick
Unused subs: David Walsh (GK), Ethan McGee, Matt Yates
Referee: Ian McNabb
Yellow cards: Isaac Baird