Dankse Bank Premiership Round-Up - Matchday 25

It’s as you were at the top of the Dankse Bank Premiership after Matchday 25 of the 2015/16 season, with the top three of Crusaders, Cliftonville and Linfield all winning on Saturday afternoon.

Defending champions Crusaders maintained their eight point advantage at the summit with a 1-0 victory over Portadown at Shamrock Park.

Former Shamrock Rovers striker Gary Twigg was the unfortunate Ports player to deflect Josh Robinson’s header into his own net as the clock hit ninety minutes. He then nearly, almost immediately, rescued a point for Ronnie McFall’s men but was denied by a superb save by Crues keeper Sean O’Neill.

The defeat was a fifth straight loss for Portadown who gave a debut to former Derry City midfielder Phillip Lowry but were without ex-Bohemians winger Peter McMahon who has been suspended by the club for an alleged breach of contract.

The Crues North Belfast rivals Cliftonville remain in second place following a 2-0 win over Ballinamallard United at Solitude. Goals from new signing Darren Murray on his home debut and ex Mallards winger Chris Curran gave The Reds victory.

It was a first league win in five games for Cliftonville, however Ballinamallard slipped into the relegation places for the first time this season after they made it ten games without a win.

Linfield stay third after a 4-0 win away at ten man Ballymena United. It was the fourth time that the two sides had met in just over a month in both league and cup competitions. The Blues third victory in the four meetings came courtesy of second half goals from Sean Ward, ex-Cork and Sligo Rovers defender Ross Gaynor, Paul Smyth and Andrew Waterworth.

Glenavon moved up into fourth place after a 1-0 away victory over Dungannon Swifts at Stangmore Park. Joel Coopers strike at the start of the second half extended the Lurgan Blues unbeaten run to six games.

The battle to avoid relegation to Championship 1 is becoming just as intriguing as the title race with the bottom four teams now separated by just three points.  

Warrenpoint Town continued their recent revival with a remarkable 4-0 win over Glentoran at The Oval. The bottom placed side made it six games unbeaten thanks to a brace from Martin Murray and further goals from John McGuigan and Johnny McMurray. Glentoran manager Alan Kernaghan said he was embarrassed by his sides’ performance as they suffered a fourth successive league defeat.

Carrick Rangers moved out of the bottom two thanks to a 2-1 home victory over Coleraine. The match was Carrick’s first home game since the 31^st October as the pitch at the Belfast Loughshore Hotel Arena has been badly affected by drainage problems. A Conor McCloskey double saw the East Antrim side move two points clear of eleventh place Ballinamallard United while Coleraine drop to fifth in the table.