And the three points moved them a little closer to leaders Glentoran after they dropped points at home to struggling Dungannon Swifts.

The Blues moved in front on 54 minutes through Michael Carvill when he collected the ball from Glenn Ferguson - making his 500th appearance in a Linfield shirt - to volley past David O'Hare.

He repaid the favour ten minutes later with a cross into the penalty area for 'Spike' to celebrate his landmark outing with a header in off the underside of the bar and over the line.

The Bannsiders pulled one back on 78 minutes courtesy of a superbly executed Stephen Carson thunderbolt which smashed against an upright on its way past Alan Mannus.

But Carvill restored Linfield's two-goal advantage with four minutes remaining with a calmly delivered effort past O'Hare after collecting a long punt up the pitch.

And Jamie Mulgrew completed the scoring a couple of minutes later with a drive from outside the area.