Red hot shot striker Liam Boyce

THE Belfast teams are crowding the top four places in the Danske Bank Irish Premier League following the last game in 2012.

Cliftonville remain on top with a nine point league over Crusaders and still with a game in hand.

Linfield climbed to third after Coleraine lost and and Glentoran bounced back after their Boxing Day defeat to the Blues at Windsor Park.

Goals by Boyce and a penalty by McMullan against Dungannon Swifts gave the Solitude men another three points but manager Tommy Breslin will still believe there are better performances to come in the New Year from his team.

Crusaders had a long drive down to Fermanagh but seen off Ballinamallard Utd 3-1 with goals from McCutcheon (penalty), Owens and Caldwell to keep Stephen Baxter’s boys still in the hunt for the league title.

Linfeld travelled to Mournview but easily swept aside Glenavon with goals from McCaul (penalty), Tipton and Clarke.

Glentoran thumped Donegal Celtic 5-0 at the Oval which was the perfect way to bounce back after their defeat to Linfield.

Clarke bagged a brace while Callacher, Carson and Waterworth (penalty) sealed the important victory for the Glens.

Portadown hosted Coleraine at Shamrock Park and goals from Lecky and Gartland gave manager Ronnie McFaul the deserved three points.

But the match of the day had to go to Ballymena Utd v Lisburn Distillery.

At one point it looked all over for the Braid men with the Whites leading three-nil after two goals by Hughes and one by Liggett.

But the Co Antrim Shield Champions didn’t give in and with Taggart and Cushley bringing it back to 3-2 everything was to play for.

And on the 94th minute Ballymena got a point with a goal from Surgenor much to the delight of manager Glenn Ferguson.

RESULTS IN DANSKE BANK IRISH PREMIER LEAGUE:

Ballinamallard United 1 (Kee 18) v Crusaders 3 (McCutcheon pen 36, Owens 39, Caddell 85)

Ballymena United 3 (Taggart 52 & s/o 66, Cushley 76, Surgenor 94) v Lisburn Distillery 3 (Hughes 37 & 49, Liggett 46, Traynor s/o 69)

Cliftonville 2 (Boyce 35, McMullan pen 53) v Dungannon Swifts 0

Glenavon 0 (Martyn s/o 65) v Linfield 3 (McCaul pen 32, Tipton 50, Clarke 83)

Glentoran 5 (Clarke 26 & 70, Callacher 33, Carson 71, Waterworth pen 89 v Donegal Celtic 0

Portadown 2 (Lecky 39, Gartland 54) v Coleraine 0