GREAT SCOTT! JACK MOVES BLUES BACK TO THE TOP
Linfield moved back to the top of the table thanks to a Jack Scott double over Loughgall at Lakeview Park.
A bright start to the game brought chances at both ends with Joel Cooper sending a left foot effort narrowly over before play switched for Tiernan Kelly to test Chris Johns from distance.
Nathaniel Ferris then had a chance after taking the ball around Johns only to send the ball into the side netting while Chris McKee forced Berratt Turker into a near post save.
The pattern continued as Benjamin Magee missed a great opportunity when he sent the ball the wrong side of the post before Cooper fired another effort low past the near post.
But the deadlock was finally broken just before half-time in Linfield's favour after Kyle McClean did well down the left before cutting the ball back for Scott to find the net from just outside the area.
Cooper came close for the Blues again early in the second half after Matthew Fitzpatrick and Stephen Fallon had created an opening but the subsequent effort was deflected wide.
Loughgall might have levelled following some great work by Pablo Andrade on the right created space for Kelly but his shot deflected just over the crossbar.
However Linfield appeared to have made the game safe when, on 68 minutes, Scott bagged his second of the afternoon after poking home from point blank range after Turker let slip a McClean corner.
Loughgall: Turker, Rea, Murdock, Kelly, Andrade, Teggart, Ferris, Hoey, Cartwright, Magee, Loughran subs Devine, Carson, Brogan, McAleer, Patton, Carroll, Boyd
Linfield: Johns, Finlayson, East, Shields, McClean, Cooper, Hall, Clarke, McKee, Fallon, Fitzpatrick subs Walsh, Scott, Millar, McBrien, Mulgrew, Robertson, McKay
