QUICKFIRE McKEE DOUBLE TAKES LINFIELD EIGHT CLEAR
Chris McKee made an immediate impact from the substitute's bench to seal another important win for Linfield against Portadown.
An even first half at Windsor Park failed to produce any goals as in-form Portadown put the hosts under pressure from a number of dangerous set plays, but failed to make anything count.
Linfield manager David Healy moved to add some more firepower into his side at the interval, introducing forward Chris McKee, and with his first touch McKee received the ball from Kirk Millar and fired the Blues into a lead a minute after the restart.
Within two minutes McKee struck again, this time assisted by Fitzpatrick to put Linfield two goals ahead with his first two touches of the ball from the super-sub!
Portadown made their own impact substitute as Paul McElroy reacted quickest to a loose ball which had been saved from a free-kick by David Walsh, and reduced the lead with six minutes remaining.
Home captain Jamie Mulgrew was substituted on 76 minutes, but found himself on the receiving end of a second yellow card after he had left the pitch from referee Ross Dunlop.
Linfield held out for the victory, which extended their lead at the top of the Sports Direct Premiership to eight points.
Linfield: Walsh, East, Whiteside, Shields, Millar, Cooper, Ballantyne, Mulgrew, McGee, Fitzpatrick, Orr subs Johns (not used), Hall (not used), McKee (replaced Ballantyne 46), Fallon (replaced Mulgrew 77), McCullough (replaced Cooper 90+1), McKay (not used), Thompson (not used)
Portadown: McCarey, Altintop, Wilson, MacKinnon, McCawl, Mayse, McCullough, Fyfe, Wylie, Ukek, Obhakhan subs Ray (not used), McElroy (replaced Ukek 77), Henderson (replaced McCawl 59), Traynor (not used), Riley (replaced Wilson 46), Mullan (replaced Mayse 77), McDonagh (not used)
Substitution 
Substitution 
