Done four

Cliftonville 1-4 Carrick Rangers

Cliftonville slumped to a miserable defeat at the hands of Carrick Rangers at Solitude this afternoon.

Despite being rewarded for a bright start when Brian Healy broke the deadlock, the Reds were unable to build on that early advantage and gradually ceded ground to a streetwise Gers team who roared to a deserved victory thanks to goals from Danny Gibson (2) and Paul Heatley.

The opener came after just 10 minutes when a smart passing sequence involving Conor Pepper, Shaun Leppard and Joe Sheridan ended with Adebayo Fapetu swinging over a cross that Healy nodded in off Matthew Olosunde at the back post.

Healy went close again with a 39th minute volley that smashed into the side netting, only for Carrick to level from the resulting goal kick, with Gibson racing through to clip the ball over the advancing PJ Morrison.

The visitors were 2-1 up soon later when Gibson set the unmarked Heatley up for a simple finish before a penalty award allowed Gibson to claim his second of the day before half-time.

The second period was just seven minutes old by the time the Gers extended their lead and, again, Gibson was the man who did the damage, slamming home at the second time of asking after seeing his initial attempt repelled by Morrison.

Cliftonville: Morrison, Pepper (Toole, 66 mins), Wilson, Curran (Gormley, 57 mins), Leppard (McCay, 57 mins), McStravick (McWoods, 57 mins), Healy, Hawthorne, Sheridan (Robertson, 46 mins), Fapetu, McGarry. Unused subs: Ridd, Jordan.