Linfield defeat Cliftonville to extend lead at top

Linfield struck twice in two minutes as the Premiership leaders fought back to beat Cliftonville 2-1 and move 16 points clear at the top.

Reds keeper David Odumosu saved Chris Shields' penalty before Joe Gormley fired the visitors in front on 76 minutes at Windsor Park.

Kyle McClean equalised five minutes later and it was soon 2-1 thanks to Matthew Fitzpatrick's powerful strike.

Joe Thomson had a Glentoran debut to remember as he struck twice to earn the visitors a 2-1 win over Loughgall.

Nathaniel Ferris put the bottom side in front in the first half but Thomson levelled with a superb strike before slotting home a penalty with two minutes left.

It takes the Glens - back in action after their midweek Co Antrim Shield success - up to second spot in the standings.

Coleraine striker Matthew Shevlin equalised with the last kick of the game to secure a 1-1 draw with Dungannon Swifts at Stangmore Park.

Premiership champions Larne defeated Ballymena United 2-1 at Inver Park with Andy Ryan and Dylan Sloan on target for the hosts.

Glenavon clinched a last-gasp 2-1 win against 10-man Carrick Rangers as Paul McGovern won it in added time.

Goals from Harry Franklin, Jordan Forysthe and Harry Jewitt-White helped Crusaders to a 3-2 victory over Portadown at Seaview.

Blues bag comeback win

Linfield came from behind to beat Cliftonville after Gormley broke the deadlock for the visitors McClean equalised and Fitzpatrick netted the winner just one minute later for the Blues.

The first real chance of the first half went the way of the visitors, as Jonny Addis got on the end of a Rory Hale free-kick but couldn't keep his header on target despite being unchallenged.

Linfield were awarded a controversial penalty for Axel Piesold's late challenge on Joel Cooper, with David Odumosu saving Shields' spot-kick at full stretch to his left-hand side.

There was a poignant moment in the 27th minute as referee Ian McNabb stopped play with both Linfield and Cliftonville players, staff and supporters joining in a minute's applause for the late Michael Newberry, who tragically passed away on his 27th birthday last month.

The second half was quiet up until the 76th minute, when Gormley turned home substitute Arran Pettifer's cross with a pinpoint first-time strike into the bottom corner with his right foot.

Within the space of six minutes of going behind, the Blues were in front. Firstly McClean fired home the equaliser from inside the area before Fitzpatrick put Linfield ahead just one minute late with a powerful right-footed effort.

Thomson makes instant impact

Thomson, who joined the Glens from Larne earlier this week, completed a remarkable turnaround at Lakeview Park, with his late penalty sealing a precious 2-1 victory for Glentoran after the midfielder illuminated the afternoon with a spectacular equaliser.

The drama was in stark contrast to a first half where bottom-placed Loughgall had stunned the title-chasing Glens. Nathaniel Ferris pounced in the 25th minute, showcasing his predatory instincts by converting Ben Murdock's precise low cross after Alberto Balde's clever play.

Just when the hosts appeared to be closing in on a memorable victory, Thomson introduced himself to the east Belfast faithful in spectacular fashion. The midfielder unleashed an unstoppable strike from distance that flew into the bottom corner with 13 minutes remaining before keeping his cool from the penalty spot after Ben Murdock was adjudged to have handled the ball.

The Villagers were left to rue missed opportunities throughout, none more so than when Robbie Norton saw his effort dramatically cleared off the line by Frankie Hvid before Daniel Gyollai's spectacular double save proved crucial in setting up Thomson's heroics.

The Mid-Ulster side's focus now turn their attention to Dollingstown in the Irish Cup while the Glens prepare for a cup showdown with rivals Linfield.

Shevlin denies Swifts

A goal at the death from Shevlin earned Coleraine a deserved away draw with Dungannon.

Shevlin's strike in the 94th minute, his 16th league goal of the season, cancelled out Galvin's 41st-minute goal for the hosts which came somewhat against the run of play.

A cross into the Coleraine penalty area caused panic in the visitors' defence and when John McGovern returned the ball from the opposite side Galvin was quickest to react, firing low from 12 yards under the body of goalkeeper Rory Brown.

Earlier, opposite number Declan Dunne denied Shevlin on two occasions to keep his side in the game.

First, he saved with his foot after the striker had escaped the attentions of Dean Curry before diving smartly to his left to parry away Shevlin's goalbound header from a Connor Murray cross.

The Dungannon keeper was called into action again minutes after the restart as he denied Levi Ives a debut goal, the defender trying his luck from distance.

Coleraine continued to dominate possession and Gael Bigirimana had to be alert to clear a Connor Murray ball off his own goal line midway through the second half.

And they got their reward deep into added time when Shevlin was in the right place at the right to blast home after Devine had denied second half substitute Sam McClintock with another smart stop.

Larne edge Sky Blues

Larne almost went in front inside two minutes when Olatunde Bayode seized upon a short back header and bore down on goal but Sean O'Neill was quickly off his line to block.

The Ballymena keeper could do nothing, however, about Larne's opener on six minutes when debutant Tiarnan O'Connor produced a superb cross for in-rushing strike partner Ryan to power home a header.

Ballymena levelled in bizarre fashion on 18 minutes when Larne keeper Rohan Ferguson scuffed a clearance from a back-pass to Andy Scott 25 yards from goal and the winger took a touch before returning a shot beyond the stranded keeper.

Larne went back in front on the stroke of half-time when, after an initial corner was cleared, Mark Randall returned the ball into the danger area and after a scramble, Sloan was on hand to slam the ball high into the roof of the net.

Conor McKendry almost scored a third Larne goal in stoppage time when he was denied by a good save by O'Neill but Larne prevailed to make it four wins and two draws from their last six league games.

Glenavon leave it late

It was an action-packed start to the game with Kurtis Forsythe's strike from a Nedas Maciulaitis cross looking like it was going to give the away side an early lead, but Glenavon captain Barney McKeown made a goal-line clearance to thwart the chance.

Stephen Baxter's side then suffered an early blow on the 24th minute when Benjamin Buchanan-Rolleston was shown his second yellow card by referee Evan Boyce after two tackles on Chris Atherton.

Glenavon were then denied a goal by the woodwork with McKeown's header from a Peter Campbell's corner crashing off the right-hand post.

Four minutes after the restart, the deadlock was broken when a curling cross from Michael O'Connor left Campbell through on goal with the attacking midfielder bursting into the box before slotting into the bottom right-hand corner.

On the 58th minute Carrick were awarded a penalty after Kurtis Forsythe was brought down in the box by Len O'Sullivan. Joe Crowe took the resulting spot-kick, but Mark Byrne guessed the correct way and dived to his left to deny the attempt.

The away side levelled the game on the 90th minute when Cian O'Malley's throw-in wasn't cleared by the Glenavon defence and caused a scramble in the box with Danny Gibson able to steer home the ball from close range.

However, the goals weren't done there with substitute McGovern restoring Glenavon's lead through his first touch of the game when he nodded past Ross Glendinning to mean that the Lurgan Blues are now unbeaten in five games.

Crues secure Seaview win

Fans had barely taken their seats when they were on their feet again with just two minutes on the clock when the home side had the breakthrough.

Stewart Nixon carried brilliantly down the right before he scooped a cross to the back post, where Franklin was on hand to tap home.

Portadown had their first chance when former Crusaders man James Teelan swung the ball in from the left that found Ryan Mayse at the back post, but the striker missed the ball completely and it ran harmlessly wide.

Just before half-time the impressive Ukek delivered a smart curling pass to the right over the Crues defence that found Mayse, but the striker drilled the ball wide of the left upright.

Eleven minutes after the restart, the Crues had the lead once more. Jarlath O'Rourke with a corner from the right and captain Forsythe rose highest to head into the back of the net.

On 69 minutes some excellent work once more from Nixon down the right saw him cut the ball back from the by-line and Jewitt-White bundled it home.

Portadown got a lifeline in injury time when Lee Chapman popped up to score from close range after a Jonny Tuffey error in goal but it was too little, too late.