Linfield ... 3 Derry City ... 1:LINFIELD CONTINUE to hold sway over Derry City following their win at Windsor last night.

While the home side deserved to win, the game will be remembered for some bad tempered incidents and a controversial penalty near the end which ended the match as a contest.

Linfield striker Thomas Stewart appeared to fall between Derry defenders Barry Molloy and Peter Hutton in the danger area. Glen Ferguson scored from the spot.

Linfield had broken the deadlock in the 23rd minute, when Thomas Stewart's header was deflected off the leg of Clive Delaney into the net. And they doubled their lead before the break. Mark Dickson drove the ball low across the six-yard area and the lively Peter Thompson slid in to divert the ball home.

Derry got back into the game in the 78th minute when Ruaidhri Higgins' ball into the area saw Ciarán Martyn slide in to score.

But the win was secured with five minutes left when the referee pointed to the spot.

LINFIELD:Mannus; McCann, Lindsay, Gault, McCann; Downey (Murphy, 39), Kearney (Ferguson, 56), Mulgrew (Ervin, 79); Dickson, Thompson, Stewart.

DERRY CITY:Doherty; McCallion, Delaney (Molloy, 64), Hutton, Gray; McGinn, Martyn, Higgins, Morrison (McGlynn, 64); Sammon (McCourt, 46), McHugh.

Referee:D McKeon (Dublin).