Release Date: Jan 01, 2013

LINFIELD reduced the gap on leaders Cliftonville with this comprehensive victory over the Reds at Windsor Park.

David Jeffrey's side came close to seizing the early advantage inside the opening 15 minutes when, in quick succession from a Mark McAllister cross, Matt Tipton miskicked, Michael Carvill missed the target and Jamie Mulgrew saw his effort deflected over.

Then, almost immediately, Johnny Black floated over a corner which Albert Watson turned the wrong side of the upright.

But the Blues did move in front on 20 minutes after a long Watson clearance was pounced up by Tipton who showed great composure to take the ball past Conor Devlin and into the net.

And he doubled their advantage three minutes later after McAllister headed on a Black corner for Watson to have a shot blocked by Devlin only as far as Tipton who forced the ball home.

It was almost 3-0 just after the half-hour mark but Devlin produced a save of the highest quality to keep out a thundering McAllister drive.However, Cliftonville reduced the deficit on 34 minutes when Liam Boyce broke clear of Watson to calmly finish beyond Alan Blayney.

Linfield restored their two-goal cushion nine minutes into the second half when McAllister slipped the ball to Carvill to guide into the net.

The Reds did have the ball in the net on 73 minutes through substitute Joe Gormley but he was offside as he tapped home the rebound from a cleared Boyce effort.

Match statistics