LINFIELD managed to maintain the top spot in the Irish Premiership after Cliftonville held them to a goalless draw at Solitude.
The game was parched for chances but there were glimmers of hope that both sides would break the deadlock in the second half.
However, both sides, who remain level on points after seven games, will now go back to the drawing board and try to maintain their respective good starts to the league campaign.
This game was billed to be a thrilling affair as the last time these two sides met was one of the most memorable Irish Cup finals in living memory, where Cliftonville came out 3-1 victors and ended their 45-year wait for the trophy.
In the first half, chances came few and far between, Linfield and their sure-firing forward Joel Cooper, fresh from receiving the Player of the Month award, found it difficult to find a route past Cliftonville’s packed defence.
Joe Gormley and Ryan Curran up rarely troubled Chris Johns in the Blues’ goal throughout the half.
After the break, both sides seemed to emerge onto the Solitude turf in a more daring mood as within minutes of the restart, both sides had come close to breaking the deadlock.
Linfield’s Joel Cooper had a goal ruled out however he was judged to be slightly offside but the decision was met with little opposition.
As the game drew on, both sides kept bearing down on the opposition’s goal on a warm, dark night in North Belfast, but to no avail, as the two city sides shared the spoils.
Glentoran claimed a comprehensive 2-0 win over Loughgall in tonight’s Sports Direct Premiership tie at the Oval.
After two straight defeats, there was a sense of relief around the east Belfast venue as the Glens ran out comfortable winners over a disappointing visiting team.
Jay Donnelly struck after only five minutes, with Daniel Amos scoring just after the break to break the resolve of Dean Smith’s men.
Fans had barely sat down when they were on their feet again at the Oval, with Donnelly hitting the net after just five minutes.
David Fisher was given far too much time inside the Loughgall box, allowing him to roll the ball across goal allowing Donnelly to have the simplest of tap-ins from five yards.
On 20 minutes, it could have been two after a delightful chip over the defence by goalscorer Donnelly sent Jordan Jenkins clear.
The striker got an effort away, but Nathan Gartside made a superb stop to knock the ball onto the upright and away to safety.
Donnelly then should have doubled his own tally on half-time after being sent through by Fuad Sule, but his shot was too close to Gartside who got a hand on it.
The hosts only had to wait nine minutes after the restart to get their second however the ball was half-cleared inside the Loughgall box to Amos who swung a foot making poor contact, but it was enough to trickle into the bottom left-hand corner of the net leaving Gartside scrambling across but to no avail.
Caolan McAleer twice went close for the visitors but it wasn’t to be as the Glens held on to put a long-awaited smile on their fans’ faces.
Elsewhere, reigning champions Larne could only manage a 0-0 draw against Glenavon and Dungannon Swifts won 1-0 at home against Crusaders.
In the early kick-off, Ballymena United added to Carrick Rangers’ woes as Jim Ervin’s side won 4-1 away from home.
