 Glenn Ferguson scored Linfield's winner at Loughgall |
Linfield stretched their lead at the top of the Carnegie Premier Division to five points thanks to a hard-earned win at Lakeview Park. Top scorer Peter Thompson put the Blues in front, pouncing on 48 minutes after keeper Marc Robinson had spilled Glenn Ferguson's initial effort.
Clifford Sterritt raced on to a through ball to level on 55 minutes.
But Ferguson struck a close-range winner after Loughgall's defence had hesitated at an Aidan O'Kane corner.
Linfield have now won 11 and drawn one from thier 12 league games so far.
With closest rivals Glentoran falling at home to Ballymena, David Jeffrey's Blues are favourites to regain the Gibson Cup.
They were made to work all the way by Loughgall who had the best early chance when Alain Emerson's effort was cleared off the line by Paul McAreavey.
Thompson blasted a decent chance over for Linfield from a Michael Gault ball.
He made amends by getting the opener three minutes into the second period.
Sterritt went through to beat an exposed Alan Mannus for the equaliser.
But Ferguson, the hat-trick hero in Saturday's CIS Cup final triumph, was on hand again with a 66th-minute winner.
MMIX
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