It's as you were at the top of the Sports Direct Premiership as the leading trio all picked up three points apiece while Carrick Rangers won to move into the top six.

Linfield remain in pole position courtesy of a one-goal defeat of Crusaders at Windsor Park.

Joshua Archer bagged what proved to be winner on 27 minutes. Kyle McClean did well to find Archer with a well delivered pass with the midfielder then doing well to steady himself before slotting home with his right-foot beyond Jonny Tuffey.

At Stangmore Park Larne depended on two goals late in the first half to get past Dungannon Swifts.

The visitors found a way through four minutes from the break. Swifts keeper Declan Dunne had done well to initially keep out a Joe Thomson effort, but the ball fell into the path of Leroy Millar who duly touched the ball into the empty net.

Then, in first half stoppage time, it was 2-0 after another Millar strike was pushed away but only against defender Steven Scott who couldn't stop the ball coming off him and over the line.

Ronan Hale bagged a brace as Cliftonville ran out comfortable 3-0 winners over Ballymena United at Solitude.

Hale opened the scoring from the spot into the bottom corner just after the half-hour mark after Dylan Boyle was adjudged to have upended Sean Stewart.

The Reds doubled their lead on the hour with Hale's second of the afternoon, squeezing the ball beneath the visiting keeper after collecting a pass from Joe Gormley.

Then, with just over ten minutes to go, Ronan Doherty completed the scoring after getting past Kym Nelson before curling a well-executed finish into the top corner.

Two second half goals helped Carrick Rangers to victory over Coleraine at The Showgrounds.

Carrick moved in front just before the hour mark. A strong Danny Purkis run down the left created the opening for David Cushley to send a right-foot effort past Rory Brown from close range.

And the visitors made sure of the points three minutes from time when Purkis showed his strength to get past Graham Kelly before blasting the ball home.

The Loughgall-Newry City clash at Lakeview Park was postponed following a morning pitch inspection, while the Glenavon-Glentoran game also fell foul of the conditions on Friday evening.