MATCH BALL FOR McCRUDDEN AS CLIFTONVILLE HIT FIVE
Michael McCrudden bagged a first half hat-trick as Cliftonville hit five without reply past Carrick Rangers at Solitude.
The Reds got off to the perfect start when, after just five minutes, McCrudden opened the scoring after getting on the end of Rory Hale's low cross from the right to side foot the ball past Aaron Hogg from close range.
McCrudden doubled his tally just three minutes after that when he pounced on a short Lee Chapman back pass to race clear of the defence and fire his second past Hogg.
Cliftonville's third came just after the half hour mark with Garry Breen finding the target on this occasion with a header at the second attempt after his initial effort had been saved.
McCrudden claimed his hat-trick seven minutes after that with a cool finish over the onrushing Hogg after being played through by Daniel Kearns.
Ryan Curran came close to adding a fifth for the Reds after dispossessing Hogg but could only fire into the side netting as Chris Ramsey narrowed the angle.
Caolan Loughran had the chance to grab a consolation for the visitors with a free-kick which looked destined for the top corner but Aaron McCarey did well to push it away.
But Cliftonville's fifth did arrive with 12 minutes remaining courtesy of substitute Barry Coffey's rifled finish into the top corner after the ball had been only partially cleared.
Cliftonville: McCarey, Breen, O'Connor, R. Curran, McCrudden, Foster, Donnelly, Bagnall, Hale, Lowe, Kearns subs Dunne (not used), Casey (replaced Hale 75), Hyland (not used), O'Brien (not used), McGuinness (replaced Donnelly 46), Teggart (not used), Coffey (replaced Bagnall 12)
Carrick Rangers: Hogg, Forsythe, Neale, Rodgers, Chapman, Kelly, Cherry, Gibson, Anderson, Ramsey, Cathair Friel subs Connor Friel (not used), Loughran (replaced Forsythe 46), Smith (replaced Neale 46), Glendinning (replaced Rodgers 58), Kalla (not used), Jenkins (not used), McMullan (not used)
Substitution 
Substitution 
