The Blues remain a point clear at the top of the Carling Premiership but, crucially, have games in hand over the chasing pack as we enter the business end of the campaign.

Curtis Allen opened the scoring on 29 minutes when he beat the offside trap to get on the end of a Jamie Mulgrew lob to slot the ball past Portadown 'keeper David Miskelly.

Linfield doubled their lead four minutes later through Philip Lowry who gave Miskelly no chance with a thumping drive from the edge of the area.

They put the game beyond reasonable doubt two minutes into the second half after Allen teamed up with Mark McAllister to release Billy Joe Burns to lift the ball beyond the reach of the helpless Miskelly.

Allen then doubled his tally on 69 minutes with a finish from ten yards after another Tomelty through ball before Tomelty himself completed the rout 11 minutes from time after he ran onto a McAllister cross to the back post.