ARCHER HITS THE TARGET FOR LINFIELD
Joshua Archer bagged the only goal of the game as Linfield edged out Crusaders at Windsor Park.
The Blues might have moved into an early lead when Daniel Finlayson rose highest to meet a Kirk Millar corner only for the ball to be blocked on the line.
Linfield continued to press, and were denied again with a Jonny Tuffey save from Matthew Clarke.
But, on 27 minutes, David Healy's side did grab the advantage Kyle McClean did well to find Archer with a well delivered pass with the midfielder doing well to steady himself before slotting home with his right-foot beyond Tuffey.
Crusaders came close to levelling late in the half with a Stewart Nixon drive just over the top, with another chance coming through a Lloyd Anderson right-foot effort which Chris Johns managed to keep out.
Darragh McBrien had the ball in the net for Linfield early in the second half only to fall foul of the offside rule while, at the other end, Stewart Nixon came close for the Crues with a powerful left-foot effort which flew just past the far post.
The Crues came agonisingly close not long after that following a frantic goalmouth scramble but somehow the ball stayed out.
They were thwarted again late in the game when Jordan Forsythe was denied the equaliser by the smallest of touches, and further frustration followed after that when Johns looked to have put the ball into his own net only for the 'goal' to be ruled out after the referee deemed he had been fouled in the process.
Linfield: Johns, Finlayson, Millar, McClean, McBrien, Hall, Clarke, Mulgrew, McGee, Fitzpatrick, Archer subs Walsh, Cooper, McKee, Fallon, Annett, McKay, Doherty
Crusaders: Tuffey, Burns, Joshua, Lowry, Kennedy, Forsythe, O’Rourke, Winchester, Clarke, Nixon, Anderson subs Kerr, Lecky, Teelan, McAleenan, Owens, Smith, Boyd
Substitution 
Substitution 
