Sports Direct Premiership: Linfield Cliftonville
Joel Cooper's 81st minute strike saw Linfield edge a tight and tense encounter with Cliftonville at Windsor Park on Tuesday night.
Both clubs went into the match having won three out of three so far in the Sports Direct Premiership, with Jim Magilton's Reds yet to concede a goal.
They looked like they would at least maintain that run until half-time at Windsor Park, however Linfield's Chris McKee became the first player to beat Nathan Gartside this season right on the 45 minute mark.
Joel Cooper's mazy run drew a couple of Cliftonville players, allowing McKee to drift into space inside the box. Cooper found him and McKee drilled the ball past the keeper to give the home side the lead.
David Healy's men came closest to grabbing a second in the 75th minute when Daniel Finlayson won a header in the Cliftonville box from a Cooper corner, only to see his effort crash off the bar before Odhran Casey cleared a follow-up effort from Jack Scott off the line.
Four minutes later, however, Cliftonville were level after a quickly taken corner found Ronan Doherty in acres of space just inside the Linfield box. His low effort was bundled to the net by Luke Turner in the six yard box.
However, the sides weren't level for long as Matthew Clarke burst onto a ball inside Cliftonville area and dug out a cross which was met by the head of Cooper who steered it past Gartside to secure all three points for the home side.
