Highlights: Larne v Linfield

Stephen Alexander
BBC Sport NI contributor

Larne extended their lead at the top of the Irish Premiership as they battled out a scoreless draw with champions Linfield.

Neither side could strike the decisive blow in a dour encounter at a wet and windy Inver Park.

The stalemate moves Larne three points ahead at the summit, although second-placed Coleraine can draw level with a victory over Carrick Rangers tomorrow.

Linfield remain in third position, seven points behind pacesetters Larne.

The home side had an early opening when Chris Gallagher's long ball sailed over the Linfield defence and released Tiarnan O'Connor in the left hand channel but the striker could only drag his shot wide of the far post.

A neatly-worked Linfield move culminated in a shot for Callumn Morrison but Larne skipper Tomas Cosgrove was alert to the danger to block the effort.

Larne winger Conor McKendry tested Chris Johns with a fierce shot which bounced awkwardly in front of the keeper who showed good handling skills to hold the effort.

Linfield's best opening of the half came 10 minutes before the interval when Matthew Fitzpatrick's header across goal from Sean Brown's cross was pushed out by Rohan Ferguson to Callumn Morrison but the Scottish keeper was up quickly to make a superb block.

The Blues spurned another glorious opening minutes later as Kirk Millar's free kick went all the way to the back post where Kyle McClean arrived totally unmarked but could only steer his header wide.

The second half really struggled to get going with neither side being able to strike a decisive blow in attacking areas of the pitch.

Larne almost snatched the victory deep in stoppage time when defender Matt Ridley met Jordan McEneff's corner with a firm back-post header but it was straight at Johns.

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