Burning brightly

Cliftonville Ladies 4-1 Lisburn Ladies

Cliftonville Ladies extended their lead at the top of the Danske Bank Women’s Premiership to 10 points after getting the better of Lisburn Ladies at Solitude this evening.

All the goals came in the second-half with Grace McKimm’s double setting the Reds on their way before Toni-Leigh Finnegan responded to the visitors pulling one back by stroking an inch-perfect free-kick into the top corner ahead of Erin Montgomery completing the scoring.

Cliftonville, who entered the contest with 11 wins from 11 League games so far this term, found the going tough in the opening 45 minutes, during which time Vicky Carleton, Finnegan and Caitlin McGuinness went close before a good save from Jess Poots denied Danielle Maxwell.

The breakthrough came six minutes after the turnaround, though, when McKimm’s powerful left-footed blast ended a minor goalmouth scramble before the same player made it 2-0 when she netted directly from a corner kick just past the hour.

Viv McCormack’s well-taken finish shot Lisburn back into proceedings but any fears over a nervy finish were undone when Finnegan converted from just outside the box with five minutes left on the clock.

There was still time for Montgomery to dink home from a Megan Moran pass and complete the scoring on a night when the Reds’ points advantage at the Premiership’s summit reached double figures.

Cliftonville: Adams (Murphy, 62 mins), White (Morgan, 70 mins), Burrows, Moran, Finnegan, Maxwell, McDaniel, C McGuinness, McKimm, Carleton, Doherty (Montgomery, 70 mins). Unused subs: K McGuinness, Reilly, Markey, Irvine.