Highlights: Linfield win against 9-man Carrick

Paul Kelly
BBC Sport NI contributor

Linfield make it four league wins on the bounce with a 1-0 win over nine-man Carrick Rangers at Windsor Park.

The visitors were reduced to 10 men early in the second half as Jimmy Callacher was dismissed, before Ben Hall put the hosts in front shortly after.

Paul Heatley was shown his marching orders in injury time for an elbow on Dane McCullough, with the visitors finishing the game with just nine players.

The Blues are now level with Dungannon Swifts at the top of the Irish Premiership table, at least for now, having played a game more than Coleraine.

Four wins on the bounce for in-form Blues

It took 10 minutes for the first shot on goal as Matthew Fitzpatrick's effort from outside the box never had Nathan Gartside worried as it whistled past the far post.

The Blues came close to breaking the deadlock twice before the break, but Fitzpatrick was denied on both occasions. Firstly by Kym Nelson clearance on the line before a super stop by Gartside minutes later to deny the striker.

Carrick's task got even more difficult early in the second half as Callacher was dismissed for bringing Kobei Moore to ground as the last man, who was otherwise through on goal.

It didn't take the hosts long to make their numerical advantage count as Hall headed Linfield in front in the 55th minute after rising highest to meet Kirk Millar's cross from the right.

Heatley had a half chance on the break to level for the visitors, but a crucial block from Isaac Baird was enough to thwart the danger.

The visitors were then reduced to nine men in injury time after a moment to forget from Heatley gave referee Evan Boyce no choice but to send him off following an elbow on Dane McCullough.

What the managers said

Linfield boss David Healy: "I'm pleased with the three points. I thought our performance levels were good to a point today.

"There is no doubt we certainly had enough possession and enough opportunities to allow ourselves to deserve to win the game.

"There were one or two moments that got away from us, a couple of missed chances. One or two where Carrick almost caught us on the break by our own sloppy, loose balls."

Carrick Rangers manager Stephen Baxter: "1-0 Linfield should probably have read 8-2 Linfield. That's how dominant their first half performance was.

"If it wasn't for our goalkeeper [Nathan Gartside] making three or four smart saves in the first half the game would have been beyond us.

"We rallied a bit in the second half but then a stupid sending off from us. It's a red card all day."