Linfield go top of the Sports Direct Premiership with a comfortable 3-0 demolition job of a disappointing Glenavon in tonight’s game at Mourneview Park.
All three goals came in the first half and David Healy will be delighted with the form of his players, especially Joel Cooper who scored two of the goals and assisted the other from Kirk Millar.
With a maximum haul of nine points so far, the south Belfast side look like genuine title-contenders once more.
It was a dream start for the visitors, as they take the lead within the opening 100 seconds.
Matthew Fitzpatrick slid Cooper through from midfield and the former Glenavon man managed to fire past Gareth Deane and into the back of the net.
If Stephen McDonnell’s men’s heads were spinning, they went into overdrive on 19 minutes when Linfield doubled their advantage.
Cooper turned provider this time, attacking down the left-hand side before delivering a low cross into the box. The ball managed to find Kirk Millar at the back post, who found the top-left corner of the net with a precision strike.
Glenavon tried to tussle and hurry their way into the game but without getting a foothold and were punished for a third time just after the half-hour mark.
Deane made a great save to deny Euan East from scoring, but can only parry the Scotsman’s strike back into the penalty area where that man Cooper once more acrobatically shot it into the bottom-left corner from 12 yards.
The second period had a feeling of damage limitation about it as Glenavon tried to hold on and Linfield were happy to keep toying with their prey.
On 65 minutes Cooper almost grabbed his hat-trick, after a smart move by East down the left and excellent cross, but the danger man in the middle could only hit his effort over the bar to the relief of the home support.
Glenavon kept working away and grew into the game in terms of possession but never really tested Chris Johns in the Linfield goal, and that will cause concern for manager O’Donnell as his side remain pointless after three games, with Linfield on top.
