LINFIELD restored their five point lead at the top of the table with this workmanlike defeat of Glenavon at Windsor Park.

On 25 minutes Billy Joe Burns embarked on a surging run down the left before cutting inside to test Davy O'Hare with a stinging right-foot effort.

Glenavon might have found a way through on 42 minutes when substitute Anthony McGonnell flicked the ball past defender Jim Ervin before troubling Stuart Addis with a left-foot shot which the home 'keeper made safe at the second attempt.

After the break substitute Aaron Burns almost squeezed an effort under O'Hare from the left side of the area.

Peter Thompson opened the scoring on 63 minutes when ran onto the ball after Jay Magee had been dispossessed to send a clinical low drive past O'Hare into the bottom corner.

Burns came close again on 77 minutes when only a Cameron Grieve block stopped his close range effort from counting.

And Linfield doubled their advantage on 88 minutes when Rory Patterson - a late substitute for Thompson - was played onside by Grieve to beat O'Hare.

Linfield: Addis, Gault, Murphy, Thompson, Carvill, B.J. Burns, Garrett, Ervin, Mulgrew, Watson, McAllister subs Curran (not used), Lowry (replaced Carvill 83), A. Burns (replaced Mulgrew 46), Patterson (replaced Thompson 83), Casement (not used)

Glenavon: O'Hare, Neill, Jay Magee, Henderson, O'Carroll, Miskimmin, Grieve, Jonny Magee, Hagan, Doherty, Turkington subs Coleman (not used), Shannon (replaced Hagan 5), Lavery (replaced Jay Magee 65), Graham (not used), McGonnell (replaced Jonny Magee 29)

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• Cameron Grieve tackles Aaron Burns at Windsor Park (Picture: William Cherry/PressEye.com)