It turned out to be an afternoon of high drama across the Sports Direct Premiership as late goals changed the outcome of almost every game.

The big game of the day was the evening meeting of Linfield and Cliftonville at Windsor Park.

Although scoreless at the break, the Blues squandered a chance to go ahead late in the first half when Chris Shields saw a spot-kick saved by Reds keeper David Odumosu.

The deadlock was broken on 76 minutes when Aran Pettifer's cross from the right found Joe Gormley who still needed to do a bit of work to get the ball onto his right foot before firing into the bottom corner.

However Linfield hit back just five minutes after that through Kyle McClean after he ran onto a Cooper ball into the area to sweep the equaliser past Odumosu.

Then, barely sixty seconds after that, the Blues moved in front after Matthew Fitzpatrick got on the end of the ball to fire home from an acute angle on the right.

Glentoran moved into second spot after coming from behind to get the better of Loughgall at Lakeview Park.

The Villagers moved in front midway through the first half courtesy of Nathaniel Ferris' close range finish after Ben Murdock knocked a free-kick that had been cleared back into his path.

Glentoran equalised with just under a quarter-of-an-hour remaining with Joe Thomson's first of the afternoon, a stunning strike from outside the area that ended up going beyond keeper Nathan Gartside into the bottom corner.

Then, in a dramatic turn of events, Glentoran were awarded a spot-kick with two minutes to go after Murdock was adjudged to have handled in the area with Thomson – on his Glentoran debut - keeping his cool to step up to convert and secure the points for the visitors.

Matthew Shevlin grabbed a last gasp equaliser as Coleraine shared the spoils with Dungannon Swifts at Stangmore Park.

The Swifts took the lead at the break on 41 minutes when Tomas Galvin was well placed to knock the ball home from inside the area after the visiting defence had failed to clear a John McGovern cross from the right.

But the visitors levelled four minutes into added time after Sam McClintock's initial effort had been well saved by Dunne only for Shevlin to be on hand to turn home the rebound.

Glenavon picked up a fourth league win on the bounce following a dramatic victory over Carrick Rangers at Mourneview Park.

Peter Campbell opened the scoring early in the second half after he got on the end of a Michael O'Connor cross to fire into the bottom right.

Stephen Baxter's equalised on 90 minutes, though, after Danny Gibson poked the ball over the line from close range after Cian O'Malley's throw-in hadn't been dealt with.

However, Glenavon regained the lead - and with it the points - a couple of minutes into stoppage time after substitute Paul McGovern headed home a throw-in to put the cap on a sensational conclusion to the game.

Crusaders defeated Portadown by the odd goal in five at Seaview despite a spirited finish from the visitors.

The Crues needed just two minutes to move in front after Stewart Nixon did well down the right before crossing for Harry Franklin to tap home at the back post.

Josh Ukek equalised after half-an-hour after being played through by Tabu Rabby Minzamba to sweep the ball into the top left corner.

The home side regained the lead on 56 minutes courtesy of skipper Jordan Forsythe's header from Jarlath O'Rourke's right-sided corner.

Then, on 69 minutes, Harry Jewitt-White added a third with a bundled finish from another Nixon delivery from the right.

The visitors pushed hard to salvage something from the game in the closing stages and did pull one back in stoppage time after Lee Chapman scrambled the ball home but it wasn't enough to deny Declan Caddell's side the win.

Meanwhile, at Inver Park, all the scoring came in the first half as Larne defeated Ballymena United.

Gary Haveron's side edged in front after just six minutes when Andy Ryan ran onto a perfectly delivered Tiarnan O'Connor cross to power a header past keeper Sean O'Neill.

The visitors levelled on 18 minutes. Home keeper Rohan Ferguson messed up his clearance from a backpass, with the ball reaching Andy Scott who promptly fired home from 25 yards after taking a controlling touch.

And Ballymena had the ball in the net again just before the break when Kym Nelson turned home a Scott cross only for the effort to be ruled out offside by the officials.

But Larne went in at the break on top when, on the stroke of half-time, Dylan Sloan fired into the roof of the net after O'Neill could only push an initial effort out into his path.