SHIELDS DOUBLE CLINCHES DERBY WIN FOR BLUES
Linfield moved six points clear at the top of the Sports Direct Premiership following a Chris Shields inspired derby defeat of Glentoran at Windsor Park.
In what was an end-to-end start to proceedings James Singleton nodded just over from a Shay McCartan cross while, for the Blues, Joel Cooper had a go from 25 yards after dispossessing Fuad Sule only to send the ball wide of the right post.
That pattern continued with Matthew Clarke sending a shot just wide before McCartan was thwarted by a timely Ben Hall interception.
But the deadlock was broken on 37 minutes when Shields bagged his first of the evening with a well struck follow up into the bottom corner after Aaron McCarey had done well to punch away his initial ball into the area.
Then, on the stroke of half-time, Shields doubled up sending McCarey the wrong way from the spot awarded after Chris McKee had been brought down inside the area by Aidan Wilson.
Glentoran started the second half with some promise with both McCartan and Junior Uzokwe working themselves into good positions only to be let down by a poor end product.
However, as the game wore on, frustrations began to show with Linfield content to sit on their two-goal cushion and, indeed, almost extended their lead when Matthew Fitzpatrick attempted to make the most of a Patrick McClean error only to see his right-foot strike well saved by McCarey.
Linfield: Johns, Finlayson, East, Shields, Millar, McClean, Cooper, Hall, Clarke, McKee, Fitzpatrick subs Walsh, Newberry, Scott, McBrien, Mulgrew, Robertson, Annett
Glentoran: McCarey, Wilson, Burns, McCartan, O'Connor, Singleton, Sule, Palmer, Kelly, McClean, Uzokwe subs Webber, Kane, Murphy, Fisher, Locke, McGinn, Feeney
Substitution 
Substitution 
