BLUES LAY DOWN BIG MARKER
Leaders Linfield stretched their lead at the top of the table to eight points with victory over champions Larne in the evening kick-off at Inver Park.
What proved to be the winner and only goal of the game arrived after just nine minutes through Joel Cooper who was allowed too much room by the home defence to fire low and hard past Rohan Ferguson at the near post.
Linfield might have doubled their advantage midway through the first half when only a Cian Bolger intervention prevented Matt Fitzpatrick from finding the net.
Chances were at a premium throughout the game, but Larne came closest to finding the net - and the equaliser - after the break when Joe Thomson sent a free-kick just over the bar.
Larne: Ferguson, Want, Ives, Thomson, O'Neill, McEneff, Seary, Bolger, Todd, Gallagher, Ryan subs Besant, Donnelly, McKendry, Graham, Marsh, Lusty, Wallace
Linfield: Walsh, Whiteside, Shields, Millar, Cooper, Ballantyne, Archer, Mulgrew, McGee, Fitzpatrick, McCullough subs Johns, McKee, Annett, McKay, Thompson, Burns, Watson
Substitution 
Substitution 
