Blues win to move 15 clear as Oval game abandoned

Joel Cooper's first-half hat-trick gave Linfield a 3-1 win over Portadown on Saturday as the Blues moved 15 points clear at the top of the Irish Premiership table.

Cooper struck three times in the first 26 minutes at Shamrock Park, with Tabu Rabby Minzamba pulling a goal back for the hosts in the second half.

The leaders are now unbeaten in seven games in the league, although their record of six matches without conceding a goal in all competitions comes to an end.

Glentoran meanwhile were denied the opportunity to move above Dungannon Swifts into second as their meeting with Larne at the Oval was abandoned in the second half because of floodlight failure with the score 0-0.

The sides will meet in the County Antrim Shield final at Seaview on Tuesday night.

Elsewhere Crusaders moved into sixth spot with a 2-0 win over Coleraine thanks to Jacob Blaney and Harry Jewitt-White goals, while Jonny Addis and Stephen McGuinness were on target in Cliftonville's 2-0 victory over Loughgall, ending a run of four straight top flight defeats for the Reds.

Carrick Rangers drew 0-0 with Ballymena United at Taylors Avenue.

Cooper treble sees Blues take win

A quickfire Cooper double in the opening six minutes gave Linfield a two goal cushion early on, with the forward slotting beyond Aaron McCarey first with his left foot from an acute angle, before scoring his second with his right foot after some tidy work from Matthew Fitzpatrick.

Cooper completed his hat-trick midway through the first half as he was gifted the ball by Portadown captain Gary Thompson before finding the roof of the net with a cool left-foot finish from a central position.

The hosts pulled one back on the hour mark through Minzamba, who bundled the ball home after Baris Altintop's strike fell to him.

The Ports huffed and puffed after pulling a goal back, but the Linfield defence stood firm to ensure they took three points back to south Belfast.