TOP OF THE TABLE CLASH ENDS ALL SQUARE
Defending champions Larne and league leaders Linfield battled to a share of the spoils in a top of the table clash at Inver Park.
Larne moved in front as early as the seventh minute when Lee Bonis ran onto an Andy Ryan ball over the top to take it past keeper Chris Johns and into the net from close range.
Linfield hit back with the equaliser midway through the first half when, from seemingly nowhere, Michael Newberry sent over a cross for Matthew Fitzpatrick to nod past Rohan Ferguson.
Fitzpatrick had the ball in the net again before the break with a header into the bottom corner from Kirk Millar's right-sided cross only for it to be ruled out offside.
Euan East might have tipped the balance in Linfield's favour early in the second half with a 30-yard drive that Ferguson needed a couple of attempts to gather while, a little later in the half, Matthew Clarke just couldn't find the net from close range with a first time left-foot effort.
At the other end Ryan offered up a half volley that Johns comfortably dealt with before Paul O'Beill headed just wide after meeting a Leroy Millar ball into the box.
Then, in the closing moments, Ben Hall almost snatched it for the Blues after taking the ball past his marker but could only send his subsequent shot just inches wide of the left post.
Larne: Ferguson, A. Donnelly, Farquhar, Randall, Bonis, Gordon, Bolger, Millar, Cosgrove, Graham, Ryan subs Dowling, O’Neill, Allan, Lloyd, Glynn, McCart, C, Donnelly
Linfield: Johns, Finlayson, East, Newberry, Millar, McClean, Hall, Clarke, Fitzpatrick, Annett, Archer subs Walsh, McBrien, McKee, McCullough, McKay, Doherty, Graham
Substitution 
Substitution 
