Despite a spirited display, Cliftonville fell to defeat in this evening’s Sports Direct Premiership clash with Larne.
After falling behind early in the second-half, the Reds enjoyed long stretches of possession in their attempts to get back into the tie but, after going close and suffering a couple of near misses, the hosts wrapped things up with a second goal late on.
As has largely been the case over the course of the last month, this was another tale of Cliftonville coming out on the wrong side of fine margins – and none more significant than the offside call that appeared to rule out a perfectly good opener.
After Dylan Sloan had twice threatened for Larne, who also hit the post through Levi Ives, both Rory Hale and Jonny Addis went close for the visitors before the ball was finally in the net just before half-time when Hale’s delivery was nodded home by Ryan Curran who, having seemingly been played onside by at least two defenders, was shocked to see assistant referee Stephen Donaldson raise his flag.
It wasn’t long before the action resumed after the break that the Invermen forged ahead; Joe Thomson’s ball across the face of goal appearing to be touched in by Luke Conlan in his attempts to clear under pressure from Sloan.
Cliftonville reacted well, however, and Conlan forced home keeper Rohan Ferguson to touch the ball over the top ahead of what proved the Reds’ best opportunity to level when Conlan’s cross fell for Hale, but he was unable to steer his low attempt on target.
Hale then sent a header over the top before seeing another such effort gathered by Ferguson before Larne doubled their advantage with just over 10 minutes left to play.
Again, there was a degree of misfortune from a Cliftonville perspective as Aaron Donnelly’s attempted pass to Benji Magee instead rolled favourably for Sloan, who finished off at the back post.
Cliftonville: Ridd, Pepper (Wilson, 64 mins), Addis, Kearney, Hale, Curran (Markey, 78 mins), Conlan, Piesold (Pettifer, 78 mins), Gormley (Glynn, 64 mins), Casey, Corrigan (Berry, 78 mins). Unused subs: Odumosu, McGuinness.