No reward for unlucky Glenavon
Teenager Rhys Marshall headed Glenavon in front and it was no more than the Lurgan Blues deserved as they were the better team in the first 45 minutes.
Linfield stormed back in the second half to lead 3-1 before David Rainey pulled a goal back to make it a nervous last five minutes for the home team.
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Hide AdGlenavon broke the deadlock in the 17th minute through Rhys Marshall.
Jonny Tuffey could only punch out Mark Patton’s initial cross, and when the ball was returned by Patton there was Marshall to send a looping header into the top corner.
The equaliser arrived in the 55th minute, with Mark McAllister thundering home a header from James Knowles’ corner.
Waterworth forged the Blues in front four minutes from time, the striker racing onto Jamie Mulgrew’s pass before rounding John Connolly and tapping home.
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Hide AdBurns made it 3-1 with a rampaging run down the left before dispatching a low shot past Connolly from an acute angle.
Rainey kept the nerves jangling with a late reply for the visitors, but it proved all in vain as Linfield held on.
LINFIELD: Tuffey, McVey, Gault, Waterworth, Carvill (A. Burns 62), BJ Burns, Ward, Clarke, Knowles, McCaul (Mulgrew 62), McAllister. Subs not used: Lowry, Tipton, Ervin.
GLENAVON: Connolly, McCallion, Murphy, Kilmartin (Hamilton 86), Bates (Rainey 74), Patton (Neill 66), McGrory, Marshall, McKeown, McCabe, Martyn. Subs not used: Lindsay, McIlveen.
Referee: Mervyn Smyth (Dundonald)