Joe Gormley’s double strike gives the Reds a 2-1 lead over Linfield at Windsor Park

IT was the eagerly awaited clash at the start of the Danske Bank Irish Premier League.

And Linfield and Cliftonville didn’t disappoint the 2,900 fans who have filed into Windsor Park.

It was end to end stuff in the game until hot striker Joe Gormley put the reigning champions 1-0 up.

And with a Liam Boyce assist it was quickly 2-0 with a breakaway goal, much to the annoyance of Linfield boss David Jeffrey.

But the smile was back on his face when James Knowles had a free kick on the edge of the Clifonville area from 25-30 yards out.

What an absolute screamer from Knowles as it lanced the top of the net past Devlin.

There was more anger from Jeffrey and Blues fans when Aaron Burns was booked for diving.

However, the Blues faithful, all 1,950, were screaming for what they believed was a ‘stone-wall’ penalty.

Linfield have it do in the second half and give the champions a bloody nose in the second half.

HALF TIME SCORES:

Coleraine 0 v 1 Portadown (Twigg)

Crusaders 0 v 0 Ballymena Utd

Dungannon Swifts 1 (Hazeley) v 0 Ballinamallard Utd

Glenavon 0 v 1 Glentoran (Howland)

Linfield 1 (Knowles) v 2 Cliftonville (Gormely double)