Same ground same result - different performance!

This game swung in Cliftonville's favour after Darren Armour was dismissed shortly before the interval after he and Ronan Scannell had gone for a high ball.Scannell ended up on the park clutching his face and referee David Best produced a red card.

At that stage the Whites had started to gain the upper hand after coming back from a disastrous start. Phil Matthews had injured his ankle as he warmed up and, bizarrely, the Reds lost Sean Cleary who injured his ankle on his way into the clubhouse earlier.

David Wilton who was at the game because the Seconds had no match was hastily rushed into the team but within minutes of the start the Whites were one down after Neil Alderdice's back-pass wasn't cleared by Wilton and Mark Holland scored for the Reds against his old club for the second time this season.

The Whites though battled back and started to get a grip on the game after Paul Muir, returning after injury, blasted a 20 yard free-kick through the wall and past John Connolly.

That dismissal changed the game completely and George McMullan headed home from close range to put the Reds two up five minutes later.

Credit though to the ten men in white in the second half who were more than a match for Cliftonville.Yes, Cliftonville had chances, but that was inevitable in the circumstances.Wilton pulled off two good saves, but equally, Declan O'Hara denied Andrew Waterworth and 'never say die' Wayne Buchanan, pushing forward when he could, saw his overhead kick just go feet past the post.

The Reds got a third when McMullan fired home in the final minute of normal time but it took Cliftonville up to the last ten minutes to make the extra man count, an energy sapping pitch not helping the Whites.

No points, but Paul Kirk can at least take heart from a determined showing.