3,295 Linfield supporters left Windsor Park with smiles upon their faces last night after watching the Blues record an important 1-0 win over Larne in the Sports Direct Premiership as January signing Kieran Offord scored the winner on his home debut.
It’s a significant result in the context of the title race as it puts Linfield 25 points ahead of current champions Larne, who, in theory, would still be ten points behind if they were to maximise their points from their five matches in hand as they continue to play catch-up domestically after their European involvement. Glentoran are currently second, 20 points behind the Blues, albeit the Glens have three matches in hand.
The first half was fairly cagey with few chances. The big talking point came in first-half stoppage time when Larne were reduced to ten men as Scottish striker Andy Ryan received a straight red card for a tackle on Kyle McClean in the centre of the pitch. Ryan had taken a loose touch before flying into a tackle which he looked favourite for, but he undoubtedly missed the ball and caught McClean, who thankfully was able to shake it off. Larne voiced their annoyance at the decision and have since appealed it, whilst Linfield were just glad to see McClean overcome the knock.
The Blues had started the better, with Larne looking nervy in the opening stages. Whilst Linfield had more of the ball, they didn’t create much of note in the first half. There were a few set-piece deliveries from which the ball just wouldn’t quite sit for a blue shirt, and the closest Linfield came to scoring in the first half was in the 16th minute when Kyle McClean’s 25-yard curling free-kick was beaten away by the diving Ferguson who saved well.
Ferguson was fortunate in the early stages of the match when he miscued a clearance straight to Kieran Offord, who must have had visions of a goal he scored from a similar situation for Crusaders against Larne at Inver Park in the first half of the season, but on this occasion, he couldn’t get the ball out of his feet quickly enough to get a shot off before he was surrounded by Larne shirts.
Matthew Fitzpatrick had a good effort early in the match, too, as he cut in from the left and struck a purposeful shot at goal from 25 yards. The forward caught it so sweetly, but it went just over the crossbar.
Larne grew into it as the half went on and in the last five minutes or so of the half – prior to the sending off – they started to look dangerous going forward. Their best chance fell for Paul O’Neill who met Andy Ryan’s deep cross to the back post, but his header was saved by David Walsh. O’Neill threatened again minutes later when Sean Graham got joy down the left and fizzed the ball low and hard towards the forward at the near post, but a vital block was put in to stop him converting.
O’Neill, who recently returned from injury, was a substitute, having replaced Tiarnan O’Connor in the 32nd minute.
HT: Linfield 0-0 Larne
Playing against ten men in the second half, Linfield were very dominant in possession of the ball. Larne, understandably, put men behind the ball and looked to frustrate. The Inver Reds’ back five proved difficult to break down.
The Blues had a couple of set-piece opportunities early in the second half, delivered by Kyle McClean on each side. The first was a free-kick out the right from which McClean found Sam Roscoe whose glancing header flashed past the far post. Then, McClean delivered from the left and it was touched on before Kieran Offord retrieved it at the back post area where he volleyed wide of the upright.
The Scottish striker then broke the deadlock three minutes later as he opened his Linfield account in the 59th minute. A risky square ball from Larne midfielder Jordan McEnuff was well read by the alert Callumn Morrison who did brilliantly to get a toe in ahead of a defender to poke it into Offord, and the 20-year-old who arrived from St. Mirren in January, showed great strength to fend off defender Ryan Nolan before slotting the ball low into the net from a tight angle.
The Blues remained in firm control and had some dangerous breaks but were unable to add to their lead. Offord was frustrated at himself in the 70th minute as he put too much on his cross which was aimed at Morrison in a threatening position at the back post after being found by Fitzpatrick inside the box. Although it didn’t come off, there are positive signs that the new-look attack with the new Scottish signings is starting to gel in these early stages.
David Healy was forced into substitutions in the 72nd and 76th minute as Euan East and Chris McKee picked up injuries, and they were replaced by Ethan McGee and Jamie Mulgrew.
McGee almost scored in the 84th minute. Callumn Morrison whipped in a tantalising cross from the right, with Offord inches away from a telling contact. It was retrieved by Ethan McGee at the back post and he curled an effort towards the far corner, but it was deflected around the post. Morrison himself then had a brilliant effort from a tight angle tipped onto the crossbar from a tight angle in the 90th minute.
Four additional minutes were added but the Blues held on comfortably. The 440 travelling supporters won’t fault their team’s effort but in truth it was a comfortable night for Linfield ‘keeper David Walsh who didn’t have a shot to save in the second half. Linfield were deserved winners on the night without being at their best.
It’s the Blues’ first home League win over Larne since November 2022. That’s now eight wins and two draws in Linfield’s last ten League fixtures. David Healy will want to continue that good form as the Blues welcome Loughgall to Windsor on Saturday. Despite the Blues’ strong position, David Healy will not want any complacency setting in with ten more huge matches still to go in the quest for 57.
FT: Linfield 1-0 Larne
Linfieldfc.com Man of the Match: Kyle McClean