Irish Premiership: Glenavon 0-1 Linfield

A first-half header by Cameron Stewart gave Linfield victory over second-placed Glenavon in Friday's important Irish Premiership match.

It was just Glenavon's second league defeat and means the champions have beaten the top two inside a week having defeated Coleraine last Saturday.

Stewart nodded in at the far post on 17 minutes after a corner was flicked on.

Linfield felt they should have been 2-0 up but Stephen Lowry's effort was ruled out for hand ball before half-time.

Glenavon went close to an equaliser in the second half when Sammy Clingan saw his volley saved by former Northern Ireland team-mate Roy Carroll in the Linfield goal.

Niall Quinn should have wrapped it up for Linfield late on but his diving header went wide.

Linfield move up to fourth place, ahead of Cliftonville, and revive their hopes of retaining the Gibson Cup.

Glenavon fail to make up ground on leaders Coleraine who could go eight points clear with victory over Crusaders in Saturday's match of the day at the Showgrounds.

It was the first time Glenavon failed to score in a league game this season.

Linfield's defender Mark Haughey: "It is a huge victory as people were maybe having doubts about us.

"We had been leaking some goals this season but tonight we stuck together, put bodies on the line and saw the match out.

"Glenavon worked hard and pushed forward for an equaliser. We tried to counter them and maybe should have scored a few more."