Linfield boss David Jeffrey has praised his side's "professional and solid performance" after the Blues stormed into second place in the Premiership with a five-goal blitz against Lisburn Distillery.
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Lisburn Distillery 0 - 5 Linfield
"Distillery are in a difficult situation but they have Pat McShane and Glenn Ferguson, two ex-Linfield players who know all about battling, having to fight and to inspire people", Jeffrey told UTV after the match.
"They had to be mentally very well prepared and their attitude was first class", said Jeffrey who was particularly impressed with Robert Garrett, Peter Thompson and William Murphy.
The Blues went in two goals to the good at the break but surprisingly the home side made most of the running for the opening 20 minutes.
After an early scare at their own goal, keeper Phil Matthews saving a headed clearance from one of his team-mates, the bottom club belied their league position.
Austin Friel and Gary Browne both had chances, Browne going closest when his shot was blocked in front of goal by Linfield full-back JP Gallagher. Former Whites' striker Curtis Allen then tested Matthews with a 25 yard free-kick that the keeper saved at the base of the post.
It was then Matthews' counter-part Alan Blayney who sprang into action to keep out a powerful header from former Linfield legend Glenn Ferguson.
But Linfield then took the lead on 22 minutes when the unmarked Allen sent a header past Matthews from the edge of the six-yard box to finish off Robert Garrett's cross. After that they never looked back and Matthews was then in top form to keep out fierce shots from Jamie Mulgrew and Garrett.
But Linfield's continuing pressure paid off whenever substitute Michael Carvill fired home from close range after Philip Lowry had headed down Gallagher's cross and the defence hadn't cleared.
After spurning three great opportunities from one incident, much to the annoyance of Blues' boss David Jeffrey, just before the break, there was only one side in it in the second-half.
Matthews had performed superbly denying Linfield with a number of top stops but on 71 minutes, he smashed his clearance directly off Peter Thompson and it shot into the empty goal.
A ragged back-line was being stretched by the visitors and substitute Mark McAllister stole in to get on the end of Michael Gault's cross and although he went wide of goal, his angled shot found the target seven minutes from time.
There was still time for a fifth Linfield goal as Thompson grabbed his second, a fine solo finish past Matthews after a long ball through from defence.
A good day then for Blues' boss David Jeffrey, who reflecting on the game said: "They were five quality goals and each of them had their own particular quality about them but the goal that pleased me was the third goal.
"It was Peter's appetite and desire to really chase down a nothing ball and when you have that type and level of commitment it's infectious. There was some fantastic football, but all over it as a fantastic display and I have got to congratulate my players because I thought they performed to a high level."
After making such a positive start, Tommy Wright, Lisburn Distillery's boss could only reflect on yet more poor defending; "Every goal was given away, and that's not taking away from a good Linfield performance but I have got to look at my team.
"We are in this position, even in my time here, because individuals have made too many mistakes and when people don't take responsibility from when when the first whistle goes until the last and make mistakes you lose football matches."
Lisburn Distillery: Matthews, McCann, Callaghan (Simpson 39), S.Thompson, McShane, G.Thompson, Kilmartin (McDonnell 70), Cooling, Ferguson, Friel (Gawley 46), Browne. Subs: Nash, Patton.
Linfield: Blayney, Burns, Bailie, Murphy, Gallagher, Lowry, Garrett, Mulgrew (Gault 77), Tomelty (Carvill 27), Allen (McAllister 77), P Thompson. Subs: Douglas, O'Kane.
Referee: Arnold Hunter (Maguiresbridge)
© UTV News