Cliftonville stormed to the top of the Danske Bank Premiership following a Rory Hale inspired defeat of Newry City at Solitude. There were also victories for Linfield, Larne and Carrick Rangers while the Mid Ulster derby finished all square.

The Reds moved into pole position after an impressive first half showing that produced a hat-trick for Hale and a fifth goal of the season for Ryan Curran.

Hale opened the scoring as early as the tenth minute with a curling finish in off the post, with Curran adding a second soon after. Hale then made it 3-0 midway through the first half before staking his claim for the match ball moments from the break.

Cliftonville took advantage of Glentoran’s Friday night wash out at the Oval after their clash with Ballymena United was abandoned on 16 minutes due to a waterlogged pitch following a torrential downpour.

Larne moved into second spot with victory over Coleraine in the Saturday evening kick-off at Inver Park. Leroy Millar fired Tiernan Lynch’s side in front after six minutes, a lead they comfortably defended until eight minutes from time when Paul O’Neill made sure with a second.

Crusaders could have gone top had they not ended up on the wrong side of a seven goal thriller away to Carrick Rangers.

Curtis Allen fired Rangers in front as early as the third minute before the unfortunate David Larmour turned the ball into his own net to double Carrick’s lead after a quarter-of-an-hour. To their credit the Crues fought back to go in at the break on level terms through goals from Paul Heatley and Ross Clarke.

Allen struck again with a close range finish on 54 minutes to restore home advantage with Philip Lowry knocking home his sixth goal in as many games moments later to make it 3-3. However Emmett McGuckin knocked home what proved to be Carrick’s winner on 65 minutes after diverting an Andy Mitchell cross into the roof of the net.

Linfield played the second half with ten men but managed to squeeze past Dungannon Swifts at Stangmore Park. Robbie McDaid grabbed what proved to be the only goal of the game on 36 minutes with a chested finish from Stephen Fallon’s cross. The Blues suffered the dismissal of keeper Chris Johns soon after for bringing Rhyss Campbell down outside the area.

Meanwhile, on Friday night, Portadown picked up their first point of the season in the Mid Ulster derby with Glenavon. Oisin Conaty edged Paul Doolin’s side in front on 42 minutes but Mark Haughey knocked home Glenavon’s equaliser early in the second half.