Dankse Bank Premiership Round-Up 30th January 2016

There were four matches in the Dankse Bank Premiership this weekend with the snow causing the postponements of the games between Glenavon and Glentoran and Dungannon Swifts and Warrenpoint Town.

For the second week running the top three of Crusaders, Cliftonville and Linfield all won without conceding a goal to leave it as you were at the summit.

At the Coleraine Showgrounds, leaders Crusaders netted two penalties as the Crues defeated 10 man Coleraine to maintain their eight point lead over Cliftonville.

There was an air of controversy over both decisions as for the first spot kick winger Paul Heatley appeared to be fouled outside the penalty area, while the Bannsiders were also unhappy with the awarding of the second spot kick for a foul on Crues striker Jordan Owens. Billy Joe Burns converted both penalties for Crusaders.

Second placed Cliftonville defeated Portadown 1-0 at Solitude thanks to Jay Donnelly’s first half header to condemn Portadown to a sixth consecutive league defeat. The Ports remain in eighth position but require an urgent upturn in fortunes if they are not to be sucked into the relegation dog fight.

At the National Stadium Linfield defeated Carrick Rangers 2-0 to stay in third place. First half goals from Mark Stafford and Andrew Waterworth gave the Blues a comfortable victory and saw Carrick drop back into the relegation places.

Ballinamallard United were the big winners in the battle to avoid relegation after a 4-2 win over Ballymena United at Ferney Park. They took advantage of Carrick’s defeat to move out of the bottom two thanks to goals from James McKenna, former Derry City striker Stephen O’Flynn, Ryan Campbell and Jason McCartney. Ballymena’s goals came from former Dundalk forward Matthew Tipton and Leroy Millar.