Reds are a six hit

Crumlin United 1-6 Cliftonville

Michael McCrudden struck a first-half double as Cliftonville overcame Crumlin United in this afternoon’s friendly at Mill Road.

After opening the scoring from the penalty spot following a foul on Joe Gormley, McCrudden would make it 3-0 with a tap-in soon after Gormley’s neat feet had led to the Reds’ second.

An impressive long-range blast from Donal Rocks extended the visitors’ advantage before the break, with Garry Breen and Conor McMenamin adding their names to the scoresheet after the interval.

Rocks came agonisingly close to making it 7-0 with another strike from distance which crashed against the crossbar, bounced down onto the line and back against the bar.

The day’s scoring was complete when Crumlin registered a consolation in somewhat controversial circumstances; the referee blowing his whistle to award a penalty for a foul by Breen only to allow the Amateur League side the advantage of playing on when the ball was confidently dispatched into the net.

In a behind-closed-doors friendly at Solitude, meanwhile, another Cliftonville XI recorded a 4-1 win against Shankill United.