Although at opposite ends of the table Linfield and Glenavon collected important victories in Tuesday's two re-arranged Sports Direct Premiership games.

Linfield travelled to defeat Dungannon Swifts in the top of the table clash at Stangmore Park, while the Lurgan Blues came from behind to get the better of Crusaders at Mourneview Park to pick up a first win in eight league outings.

Joel Cooper grabbed the only goal of the game as the Blues stretched their lead at the top to 11 points.

After a somewhat cautious opening start to the game the best effort came midway through the first half when a James Knowles free-kick which looked destined to curl into the net sailed just over the top.

Dungannon continued to press after that with Leo Alves producing a low save from David Walsh to keep out his effort from the edge of the box.

Linfield's best effort came towards the break when Kirk Millar delivered a short free-kick for Joel Cooper to test Declan Dunne with Jamie Mulgrew unable to convert the rebound.

The Blues threatened again early in the second half after Matthew Fitzpatrick nodded on another Millar cross but Alves was on hand to clear the header to safety.

But Linfield did eventually find a way through on 53 minutes after Cooper sent a low strike from the edge of the box past Dunne and into the bottom left corner.

Millar looked to doubled the visitors advantage not long after that with a looping free-kick just over before coming close again only to be denied by Dunne.

The Swifts hit back, and were presented with a great chance to level from a Knowles cross into the box which John McGovern could only head straight at David Walsh.

And they came even closer a few minutes later when Knowles sent a free-kick cannoning off the left post with no-one on hand to tuck away the rebound.

Cahal McGinty then tested Walsh with a strong strike but, again, the home side just couldn't find a way through.

Their task was made all the more difficult right at the end of normal time as keeper Dunne was shown a straight red card after rushing out to stop Fitzpatrick who had found himself through on goal.

Glenavon, who last tasted victory back in early October, fought back from a goal down to defeat Crusaders.

The Crues moved in front on 19 minutes through Philip Lowry after he ran onto a long Jordan Forsythe throw into the box to direct a glancing header beyond the reach of keeper Mark Byrne.

And the visitors might have doubled their lead a short time after that when Jimmy Callacher attempted to catch Byrne off guard with a long free-kick from the halfway line only for the keeper to touch the ball onto the crossbar.

However Glenavon levelled a couple of minutes from the break when Peter Campbell floated over a corner for Michael O'Connor to connect with and power a header past Jonny Tuffey.

Campbell then edged the home side into the lead for the first time just after the hour with a clinical finish at the back post after Christopher Atherton had knocked on David McDaid's pass.

McDaid played an instrumental part in Glenavon's third ten minutes after that. Campbell darted down the left wing following a defensive lapse and laid the ball off for McDaid who saw his finish from inside the area come back off a defender before bouncing off Jordan Forsythe and into the net.

Atherton could have added a fourth later in the game after a run down the right that ended with a powerful shot on goal only for the ball to come off the near post before falling to safety.