Linfield have improved their league position with a decisive win over Dungannon Swifts who were never in contention.
Linfield 4 - 1 Dungannon Swifts
It leaves the Blues four points clear of second-placed Cliftonville - and they have a game in hand. Glentoran lie third with an inferior goal difference to the Reds.
Linfield did not waste time and were quickly into their stride - looking sharp and eager right from the kick-off and playing with confidence. They were quickly on the offensive and Billy Joe Burns almost had them in front in just six minutes when he headed a cross from Jamie Tomelty, on the left, just wide of the post.
But the Swifts, although finding it testing to combat the speed and power of David Jeffrey's side, had a great chance of opening the scoring themselves in the 15th minute.
An excellent through ball dispatched by Michael Ward down the right flank found Ryan McIlmoyle but Alan Blayney came off his line and dived to smother the winger's shot. A let off for the Blues all right.
On-loan striker Peter Thompson was doing a lot of work and in the 22nd minute he made a race down the middle with nobody picking him up.
Alongside him was Jamie Mulgrew and Thompson slipped the ball a cross to him. He controlled it beautifully before sending a high cross back over to Thompson but his header from a mere yard out was superbly tipped over the top by Swifts' tall keeper Alvin Rouse.
But a minute later, a game of header-tennis saw William Murphy heading across to Burns who, unmarked, had the simple job of finishing it off with another header over the goalkeeper's head and into the net to put the Blues ahead.
Linfield looked like scoring every time they pushed forward and went two up in the 31st minute when the energetic Thompson, who looked supremely fit, flicked a header across to strike partner Curtis Allen and the former Lisburn Distillery man had the choice of crossing it back to Thompson or having a crack himself.
He decided on the latter option and it worked as he slammed the ball past Rouse and into the back of the net.
Linfield fans were enjoying the quality of their side's football with their rapid breaks opening up huge gaps in the Dungannon defence.
And two minutes from the interval Jamie Mulgrew lobbed the ball over the heads of the Swifts' defenders, where it was picked up by Thompson, who left defender Johnny Montgomery for dead and took the ball on his preferred left foot but it went into the side-netting.
David Jeffrey was forced into a switch just after the restart. Mulgrew appeared to be injured and walked slowly off with Aidan O'Kane coming off the bench to replace him. O'Kane took up the left back spot with Damien Curran reverting to a central midfield role.
And then a rare chance for Swifts with a well-struck corner from McIlmoyle giving the unmarked Adam McMinn the opportunity to head in but unfortunately for the visitors it sailed just over the cross-bar.
Linfield had a firm grip on the game and, in the 61st minute, some superb ball control on the left flank by Tomelty saw him slip past Ryan Mullan and set up Philip Lowry with a sublime cross - and he netted with a looping header.
Two minutes later came a chance for the Swifts to get something from a game which was rapidly slipping away from them. McIlmoyle was tripped inside the box by Tomelty and Michael Ward stepped up to take the spot kick beating Blayney who dived the right way and finding the corner of the net with his low strike.
Three-one might appear reasonable but Linfield were still hungry for more and, with twenty one minutes left, a beautifully worked move by twin strikers Allen and Thompson saw the Stockport County man giving his young colleague the chance to grab his second when he passed to him to provide him with a simple tap-in from close range.
An assured performance from Linfield which pleased manager David Jeffrey.
"I was anxious to put Saturday behind us and get back to the league and hopefully consolidate our position - and we did just that. I thought Tomelty did very well to set up our third goal and I loved the inter-passing between Thompson and Allen which led to our fourth. Yes a great all-round display which keeps us in a good position - but there's a long way to go yet."
Linfield: Blayney, Murphy, Curran, Lowry, Thompson (Thompson, 76), Bailie, Burns, Allen (McAllister, 76), Tomelty, Garrett, Mulgrew (O'Kane, 48)
Dungannon Swifts: Rouse, Mullan, Montgomery, McMinn, McCafferty, McIlmoyle (McCann, 75), Callagher (Morgan, 60), Emerson, McClean (McAlliskey, 75), Adamson Ward
Referee: Mark Courtney (Dungannon)
© UTV News