They only needed ten minutes to open the scoring. The unfortunate Colin Nixon saw an attempted clearance bobble on the pitch opening the opportunity for Mark Holland to square for Chris Scannell who gleefully accepted the gift of an open goal.

Glentoran levelled nine minutes later, however, through Gary Hamilton who dispatched a free-kick from the edge of the area past John Connolly and into the top corner.

The Reds restored their advantage on 39 minutes when a George McMullan free-kick was cleared only as far as Barry Johnston who returned the ball for Mark Holland to knock home from close range.

And it was 3-1 on 56 minutes when Elliott Morris flapped at a Holland effort with Chris Scannell on hand to make the most of the opportunity.

Then, four minutes later, Cliftonville extended their lead further still when McMullan beat Morris with an acrobatic volley.

Hamilton did pull another back for the shell-shocked Glens on 69 minutes but it was scant consolation on an afternoon which saw them fall six points behind the Reds and five adrift of Linfield.