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Linfield 5 - 0 Newry City

The Blues began Saturday's game with the same central defensive pairing that saw out the 2-2 draw with cross town rivals Glentoran last Tuesday night. Alan Blayney returned to the side following a niggling groin injury that had meant his appearances over the last couple of months were sporadic at best.

Linfield opened the scoring in spectacular fashion on 24 minutes. Jamie Tomelty, who has a habit of scoring special goals collected the ball around 25 yards from goal before cutting inside and smashing a superb right footed shot into the top right hand corner.

Jamie Mulgrew almost matched Tomelty's effort two minutes later but his left footed shot from 23 yards went just wide of Coleman's left hand post.

It really should have been 2-0 to Linfield on 28 minutes. Jamie Tomelty floated in a great corner from the left but Philip Lowry could only head over the bar from 5 yards.

Peter Thompson had a chance to cement Linfield's first half dominance when he was played through by a brilliant Jamie Mulgrew pass on 33 minutes. With only Coleman to beat, the Newry keeper did brilliantly to snatch the ball from the feet of the on loan striker.

Jamie Tomelty was first to threaten in the second half. Michael Gault stole the ball off a Newry defender before feeding Tomelty whose floated right footed shot from the left hand corner of the penalty area went just wide of Coleman's left hand post.

Mulgrew was next to take a pop at Andy Coleman's goal on 52 minutes but his first time shot from the edge of the box went inches over the top.

Newry City almost snatched a surprise equaliser on 61 minutes when Niall Henderson was played clean through on goal. The Newry midfielder hesitated, and his eventual shot was brilliantly saved by the thigh of Alan Blayney.

If Henderson was unlucky with that chance, he really should have converted on 66 minutes.

Following a great lay off from Andy Graham, Henderson placed a shot agonisingly wide of Blayney's right hand post from around 16 yards. It was a real let off for Linfield who, up to that point, had totally dominated the visiting side.

Linfield doubled their lead on 75 minutes. Jamie Tomelty's corner from the left completely evaded the Newry backline and fell to the feet of Curtis Allen who had the simplest of tasks of sweeping the ball into the unguarded goal.

It was 3 - 0 on 82 minutes thanks to the head of Peter Thompson. Billy Joe Burns delivered an inch perfect cross from the right and it was Thompson who prodded the ball home at the back post to score on his second home debut.

Curtis Allen added a fourth on 84 minutes following good work from Thompson on the left.

Thompson nipped the ball past the committed Andy Coleman on the left hand side of the penalty area and delivered an inch perfect cross onto the head of the substitute who made no mistake from 3 yards.

Thompson added insult to injury in the first minute of stoppage time by making it 5-0 to David Jeffrey's side.

Following a missed opportunity seconds before, Robert Garrett won the ball on the right wing, fed Billy Joe Burns who played the ball into Thompson.

The Linfield striker turned well and slotted the ball home past the helpless Andy Coleman to cap off a fine performance.

Linfield Team: Blayney, Gault (Garrett 68'), Murphy, Lowry, Thompson, Carvill (Allen 66'), Bailie, BJ Burns, Tomelty (Curran 80'), Mulgrew, Gallagher. Subs: Douglas, Curran, Munster.

Newry Team: Coleman, Black, Munster (Acheson 86'), McDonnell, Henderson, Hazley, Keegan, Garrett, Graham (Keenan 78'), Davidson, Boyd (Devlin 32'). Subs: Gallagher, Cummings.

Referee: Keith Halliday

Assistant Referees: Tommy Fairfield & Niall Murphy

Fourth Official: Arnold Hunter

© UTV News