Linfield moved ever closer to reclaiming the league title with a two-goal defeat of Glenavon on an afternoon that also produced a victory for Ballymena United over Cliftonville but draws at Seaview, Inver Park, Taylors Avenue and Shamrock Park.

Joel Cooper hit both goals for Linfield at Windsor Park against former club Glenavon.

Scoreless at the break, Cooper edged the Blues in front on 52 minutes with a close range finish after the ball had come off Len O’Sullivan.

He then doubled up in the closing stages with a successfully converted spot-kick past Mark Byrne into the bottom left corner.

Glentoran had to settle for a point in a scoreless draw away to Carrick Rangers.

The Glens did strike the woodwork twice in the first half, however, when David Fisher heading against the back post on ten minutes before coming close again midway through the half from the edge of the area.

Ballymena United kept their hopes of making the top six alive with a narrow defeat of Cliftonville at The Showgrounds.

The winner for the Sky Blues – and only goal of the game – came with just over ten minutes left through Kian Corbally’s strong left-foot strike past Lewis Ridd after Ben Kennedy had played him through.

Benji Magee bagged a late equaliser for Loughgall as the Villagers shared the spoils with Crusaders at Seaview.

Jordan Stewart had nudged the Crues into the lead on 70 minutes with a finish from point blank range, but Magee replied for the visitors with four minutes remaining after he was left unmarked in the area.

In the evening streamed game Larne and Coleraine shared the spoils at Inver Park.

Matthew Shevlin fired the Bannsiders in front with around a quarter-of-an-hour remaining after pouncing on a Shaun Want error, but Larne hit back not long after that when Aaron Donnelly passed for Andy Ryan to tap home from close range.

And in the other late kick-off Portadown and Dungannon Swifts cancelled each other out at Shamrock Park.

Andrew Mitchell edged the Swifts in front around the hour mark with a clinical finish but a Steven McCullough free-kick on 79 minutes saw the Ports secure a point.