PERFECT BLUES KEEP RUN GOING
Linfield held onto their 100% record at the start of the new Danske Bank Premiership campaign with victory over Crusaders in the Friday night game at Windsor Park.
The Blues got off to the better start, threatening early on when Andy Waterworth headed over from Connor Pepper's cross while Jimmy Callacher nodded a Kirk Millar free-kick wide at the far post.
Crusaders did start to craft a few half chances as the game progressed but Linfield continually looked the more likely to find a way through, a prime example being Mark Haughey's header from a corner which flew wide of the target.
The deadlock was finally broken five minutes before the break. Michael Ruddy was adjudged to have fouled Pepper inside the area and, from the spot-kick that followed, Waterworth duly stepped up to confidently finish past Sean O'Neill.
Moving into the second half Linfield remained dangerous with Haughey once again glancing wide while Navid Nasseri sliced an effort the wrong side of the goal.
It was almost 2-0 just after the hour when Niall Quinn's free-kick hit the outside of the post, followed by a Nasseri shot which O'Neill did well to rush out to block.
Chasing the game, the Crues came close through Jamie McGonigle but his strike was kept out by Chris Johns. Substitute David Cushley, only the pitch a matter of moments, then had a go with a free-kick but again Johns was on hand to tip the danger over.
But Linfield seemingly put the game to bed with six minutes remaining after Quinn diverted a near post header past O'Neill from Millar's perfectly delivered cross.
However, the visitors hit back three minutes later to set up a nervy finish courtesy of Adam Lecky's downward header from Jordan Forsythe's cross ... and soon after Chris Hegarty met a McGonigle corner but he could only flash his header wide of the post.
Linfield: Johns, Haughey, Callacher, Waterworth, Stewart, Millar, Nasseri, McClean, Hery, Pepper, Quinn subs Moore (not used), Larkin (not used), Lavery (replaced Nasseri 70), Clarke (not used), Kearns (not used), Fallon (replaced Stewart 62), McGivern (replaced Hery 70)
Crusaders: O'Neill, Hegarty, Lowry, Kennedy, McGonigle, Forsythe, Ruddy, Brown, Thompson, Heatley, Clarke subs Doherty (not used), Hale (not used), Cushley (replaced Heatley 79), Caddell (not used), O'Rourke (not used), Lecky (replaced Clarke 65), Owens (replaced Kennedy 57)
Substitution 
Substitution 
