Conor McKendry bagged a stoppage time goal to help seal the derby points as Larne ran out 3-1 winners away to Carrick Rangers.
The early exchanges saw the two sides trade penalties, as Caolan Loughran cancelled out Andy Mitchell’s spot kick. John Herron’s goal before the break restored the Invermen’s lead before McKendry came off the bench to put it beyond doubt.
Tiernan Lynch’s men started brightly and could have been ahead with just five minutes on the clock. Marty Donnelly played a one-two on the edge of the box with Davy McDaid, but fired over from 10 yards when the ball just wouldn’t settle for the forward.
Larne did take the lead six minutes later, however. Mark Randall picked up the ball from a throw-in in the left before his route to goal was blocked by a clumsy tackle. With the penalty given Andy Mitchell maintained his 100% record for the club from the spot by slotting home.
The lead was to last just six minutes however. At the other end referee Keith Kennedy pointed to the spot again when he adjudged Albert Watson to have fouled Lloyd Anderson on the byline. This time Caolan Loughran stepped up to fire into the corner.
Larne retook the lead 11 minutes from the break. Good work on the left flank ended with Graham Kelly whipping a cross into the box and John Herron did well to get across his man and steer the ball home from six yards out.
Marty Donnelly almost extended the lead on the cusp of half-time as he found space inside the box, but his right-footed effort lacked the power to trouble Aaron Hogg.
On 67 minutes, Albert Watson had the next chance to double the lead, but having met Donnelly’s corner at the back post he was unable to steer his header inside the post.
A minute later and Carrick’s best opportunity to level came as Kyle Cherry headed too close to Conor Devlin, following a sweeping move down the right flank.
Carrick probed in an attempt to find the equaliser, but it was Larne who came the closet through substitutes Lee Lynch and Ronan Hale.
However, it was another sub who sealed all three points when Lee Lynch did well to win a loose ball in the midfield and, with Carrick pushing forward, found Conor McKendry in space on the edge of the box. McKendry then controlled inside the penalty area before slotting past Hogg.
Carrick Rangers: Hogg, Loughran, Chapman, Kelly, Smith, Gordon, Cherry, Gibson, Anderson, Ramsey, Friel subs McKinty, Forsythe, Neale, Rodgers, Glendinning, Jenkins, Storey
Larne: Devlin, Kelly, Watson, Robinson, Herron, Randall, McDaid, Donnelly, A. Mitchell, Cosgrove, Hughes subs C. Mitchell, Hale, Lynch, McKendry, Mottley-Henry, Wade Slater, McMurray
Referee: Keith Kennedy
