Irish Premiership: As it happened

1. Institute 1-4 Linfield
2. Ballymena Utd 2-1 Cliftonville
3. Coleraine 1-1 Glentoran
4. Crusaders 3-0 Glenavon
5. Newry City 2-0 Ards
6. Warrenpoint 1-1 Dungannon

Over and out

Another enthralling Irish Premiership Saturday. Six games and seventeen goals later, it's fair to say it's been one of the best so far this season.

Linfield replace Glenavon at the top of the table. David Healy's men beat Institute 4-1 before the Lurgan Blues fell to a 3-0 defeat at Crusaders, lifting the Belfast side two points clear having played a game more.

Elsewhere, Ballymena remain third after dispatching Cliftonville 2-1 at the Showgrounds, while ten-man Coleraine recovered from going behind to draw 1-1 with Glentoran, a score mirrored at Milltown as Warrenpoint Town and Dungannon Swifts also shared two goals.

Newry City moved ahead of Ards down at the bottom after a 2-0 win, with Mark Hughes and John Boyle scoring to end a gloomy run of six straight defeats for Darren Mullen's side.

We'll be back next week with coverage of five games; Glenavon v Ards, Crusaders v Institute, Warrenpoint v Coleraine, Linfield v Cliftonville and Dungannon v Glentoran.

Ballymena, who host Glentoran on Tuesday before travelling to Newry on Friday night, can go top by the time a ball is kicked next Saturday. Wouldn't that be something!

Bye for now!

Crues drawn at home against Sky Blues

Crusaders v Ballymena Utd

Cliftonville/Dungannon Swifts v Portadown/Linfield

Games to be played on Tuesday, 11 December

Crues 'back in title race'

Philip Major

Sportsound summariser

Crusaders are building momentum and if they are definitely back in the title race. Jordan Owens and Paul Heatley were unplayable today and it was sensational football from the Crues with three great goals.

Nixon laments Ards finishing after Newry defeat

That's another game we haven't scored a goal. You can't win football matches if you don't score. We are playing on our nerves. Again, we had plenty of chances to get a goal but we can't put it in the net at the minute. We should have been out of sight in the first half probably. Now we are exactly where we don't want to be (in bottom place) but we've got to stick together and keep fighting.

Colin NixonArds manager

Jeffrey delighted with 'remarkable' Sky Blues

Delighted to get the win. Brian Neeson made some incredible saves. I thought we could have won by a greater margin but we achieved what we set out to do, and for that I'm thankful. We're very pleased with how the players have been applying themselves in recent weeks. The players are buying into our ideas and, to a man today, I thought they played remarkably well. We're not getting carried away but when you get days like today, when you have to fight hard, to come away with three points, it's lovely.

David JeffreyBallymena United manager

Newry boss delighted after 'huge' win

It's a huge win for us. We certainly couldn't afford to get beaten today. The first half was a scrappy enough affair but we got the couple of chances in the second half and it was just a matter of taking them. We haven't been taking our chances of late. We probably played better on Monday night against Cliftonville and got nothing out of it but today was about doing whatever it took to win the game.

Darren MullenNewry City manager

We had everything today - Caddell

Anyone coming here today got their money's worth. We've been ticking along nicely in the last three weeks and today was like our form from last year. We've struggled for form this season but we had everything today and it started from our work-rate. It was a good day for us.

Declan CaddellCrusaders midfielder

Red card 'affected us more than Coleraine' - McFall

In the first half we were excellent and should have scored more than once but the sending off affected us more than it affected Coleraine. We lost our way a wee bit and lost our shape. I'm pleased with the first half, disappointed with the second but we take the point and move on.

Ronnie McFallGlentoran manager

McAree hails 'exceptional' Coleraine

I thought we deserved all three points. In the first half Glentoran sat in and frustrated us. Eoin (Bradley) has got a little frustrated but he shouldn't speak out of turn like that. In the second half we were exceptional. We changed our shape and asked the players to do a different role and it worked out for us. It was hugely encouraging for us.

Rodney McAreeColeraine manager

Saturday scoreboard

BBC Sport NI

FULL-TIME

That's it. Ballymena edge a captivating encounter at the Showgrounds. Goals from Cathair Friel and Steven McCullough were enough for David Jeffrey's men, even if Conor McDonald's consolation strike made things interesting.

Ballymena are third, two points behind Glenavon and four off pacesetters Linfield (with a game in hand on the latter). The Reds drop down to fifth.

OVER!

In what is surely Cliftonville's last throw of the dice, Breen heads over from a corner.

Pick it out! Owens arrows into top corner

Jordan Owens with the pick of the goals at Seaview

FULL-TIME

Newry City move off the bottom - to be replaced by Ards - after winning this basement battle at the Showgrounds.

Ards did have their chances in an even first half but Mark Hughes' goal put Newry ahead and John Boyle's strike on 77 made the game safe for the hosts.

FULL-TIME

All square at Ballycastle Road where Darren McCauley's second half strike cancels out Robbie McDaid's header for Glentoran in the opening period.

Rodney McAree will certainly be the happier manager as his Coleraine side bossed the second period after the handicap of losing Eoin Bradley to a red cad for dissent at half-time.

SAVE!

The Sky Blues break at pace but Neeson - not for the first time - denies Friel.

FULL-TIME

That was the sort of powerful, attacking performance which has brought Crusaders three titles in the last four seasons.

Jordan Owens and Paul Heatley are clicking again in attack and Stephen Baxter's men are back in the groove.

Glenavon were blown away at Seaview as they missed the chance to go top again.

Wonderfully poised

Cliftonville have finally found a sense of urgency. Absorbing spectacle at the Showgrounds.

The goals set to take Newry off the bottom

Mark Hughes put Newry ahead in the second half before John Boyle doubled their advantage

GOAL

Substitute Conor McDonald pulls one back for the Reds, setting up a rousing finale at the Showgrounds! McDonald pokes home from close-range after Gormley's pinpoint cross from the left wing.

Ballymena, who have bossed this second half, suddenly find themselves facing a nerve-wracking finish here!