Cliftonville paid the price at Inver Park, where Larne made the most of two first-half chances to claim full points from this evening’s Sports Direct Premiership encounter.
Paul O’Neill and Joe Thomson put the hosts into a commanding lead but, try as they might, the Reds were unable to fashion a route back into the game until Ronan Hale’s consolation effort in injury-time.
Things might have been different had Ben Wilson been able to convert the first minute opening that came his way but, after being slipped in by Rory Hale, he shot directly at Rohan Ferguson.
Wilson threatened again shortly afterwards when Sam Ashford provided the pass that set him on his way but he was never able to fully train his sights on goal and dragged his attempt wide from a difficult angle.
Despite that bright start, Cliftonville found themselves behind when Larne made the most of their first attack; O’Neill’s header from Thomson’s delivery giving David Odumosu no chance.
The Reds keeper did come out on top when O’Neill next tried his luck before Mark Randall’s long-range attempt deflected off Jonny Addis and onto the crossbar.
At the other end, Ashford volleyed one shot over the top before sending another off target and, as before, Cliftonville found themselves counting the cost when the hosts made their next chance count. This time, Tomas Cosgrove teed up Thomson, whose attempt deflected off Luke Turner and past Odumosu.
Perhaps content to hold on to the lead they had accummulated, Larne offered minimal attacking threat after the interval with the Reds unable to break the home side down as they went in search of a goal to cut the deficit, which they very nearly got when Wilson called the keeper into action when he hammered an attempt towards the top corner from distance.
Levi Ives turned the ball against his own crossbar and Ronan Hale saw a free-kick saved by Ferguson, whose misjudgment of a long punt forward from Odumosu allowed Hale to find the net in the closing stages.
Cliftonville: Odumosu, Addis, Gallagher, Rory Hale (Ronan Hale), Lowe (Pepper), Doherty, Ashford (Gormley), Casey, Turner, Kearney (Mallon), Wilson. Unused subs: Gartside, Kenny, C Curran.