Jamie Mulgrew celebrates his early goal for Linfield

Linfield moved to the top of the Carling Premiership despite letting two points slip as Institute twice fought back to earn a draw at Windsor Park.

Jamie Mulgrew put the Blues ahead on seven minutes but Paddy McLaughlin levelled 10 minutes later after his initial effort had struck the woodwork.

Mark Miskimmin restored Linfield's lead 17 minutes before the break.

But Blues sub Curtis Allen got a straight red card on 82 minutes and Paul Lowry levelled on 85 minutes.

The kick-off was delayed by 15 minutes after the late arrival of the Institute team bus as a result of an accident on the Glenshane Pass.

Stute's defence was marked absent in the seventh minute as Mulgrew fired past Gavin Cullen after being played in by Paul Munster.

However, the Londonderry outfit regrouped to level 19 minutes later as Paddy McLaughlin stabbed home after his own header had come back off the woodwork, following a Ryan Semple corner.

But the Linfield lead was restored on 28 minutes when Miskimmin blasted to the net after Kris Lindsay had nodded down a Mulgrew free-kick.

The game's remaining key moments came in the closing 10 minutes as Blues sub Allen was dismissed for a reckless challenge eight minutes from time.

David Jeffrey's frustrations were then increased further three minutes later as sub Paul Lowry's shot deflected off Stephen Douglas and into the Linfield net.

Despite dropping the two precious points, Crusaders' defeat at Coleraine means Jeffrey's side now lead the table on goal difference from Glentoran and the Seaview outfit - with all three teams on 31 points.

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