HALE BROTHERS SET REDS UP FOR THE WIN
Goals from brothers Rory and Ronan Hale helped set Cliftonville up to claim all three points from their visit to face Carrick Rangers at the Loughview Leisure Arena.
Stephen Mallon also weighed in with a late goal as Jim Magilton's side closed the gap on the top two.
Despite the eventual outcome it was the hosts that created the best of the early opportunities with Lewis MacKinnon seeing an effort gathered by David Odumosu followed by a Nedas Maciulaitis strike pushed away for a corner by the Reds keeper.
However, it fell to Rory Hale to open the scoring for the visitors on 17 minutes when, on the counter attack, he fired past Ross Glendinning.
Ronan Doherty might have doubled Cliftonville's lead around the half-hour mark but even though he found the bottom corner his effort was ruled out offside.
Carrick had a goal of their own disallowed midway through the second half after Reece Glendinning found the net but this was cancelled following a foul on Odumosu.
Cliftonville did add to their tally on 68 minutes when it was Ronan Hale's turn to register after connecting with a Jonny Addis ball over the top to lift it over Glendinning.
Curtis Allen could have pulled one back for the 'Gers when he found himself one-on-one with Odumosu but the Reds custodian stood tall to deal with the threat.
The visitors made sure of the win, however, with seven minutes to go after Mallon ran onto a through ball before taking it past Glendinning and into the net.
Carrick Rangers: Ross Glendinning, Surgenor, Mitchell, Allen, Maciulaitis, MacKinnon, Buchanan-Rolleston, Cherry, Reece Glendinning, Purkis, Tilney subs McCauley, Stewart, Watson, Gordon, Cushley, McGuckin, Crowe
Cliftonville: Odumosu, Addis, Kenny, Rory Hale, Mallon, Doherty, Casey, Turker, Ronan Hale, Kearney, Wilson subs Gartside, Pepper, Curran, Gormley, Ashford, McGuinness, Berry
Substitution 
Substitution 
