Crusaders 2-2 Cliftonville

Cliftonville fought back from two goals down to earn a point against north Belfast rivals in a tempestuous Carling Premiership clash at Seaview.

Stuart Dallas nodded the Crusaders ahead on five minutes and David Rainey doubled their advantage on 20.

Ciaran Caldwell's header got the Reds back into the game on the hour and the Crues then had Declan Caddell sent-off.

Caldwell levelled from a hugely controversial 78th-minute penalty and both sides had late chances to win it.

The Crues took the lead on five minutes as Dallas rounded Ryan Brown to score after Reds defender Barry Holland had miskicked.

Stephen Garrett had a chance to level after he outpaced Paul Leeman but the Reds striker failed to get full purchase on his shot and Sean O'Neill made a comfortable save.

Crusaders doubled their lead on 22 minutes as Rainey fired to the net after Timmy Adamson had nodded down a long ball from Gareth McKeown.

Rainey then had a chance to put the game beyond Cliftonville's reach but he attempted to find a colleague with a pass instead of firing at goal with his left foot.

Cliftonville's first half was summed by Caldwell completely miskicking when a chance presented itself just before the break.

Dallas went close to adding to Crusaders' lead just after the restart but the Reds were back in the game on the hour when Caldwell headed a Garrett cross to the net after a short corner.

Cliftonville's prospects of a comeback were further boosted when Caddell was red carded in the 74th minute after receiving a second caution.

Caddell was adjudged by Hugh Carville to have led with an arm in an aerial duel with Chris Scannell.

Regrettably, Carville became the central character in the remainder of the contest.

He appeared to get it wrong when he denied Chris Scannell a penalty on 75 after a challenge by keeper O'Neill.

Ryan Brown kept the Reds in the game with a great save to deny Owens and the frenetic action continued moments later as Carville awarded a hugely controversial penalty.

Gareth McKeown appeared to won the ball legimately as Chris Scannell stooped in an attempt to head on but the spot-kick was awarded and Caldwell blasted to the net.

Owens and Colin Coates wasted chances to put Crusaders ahead again before Chris Scannell hit the woodwork after a glorious Caldwell through ball.

The temperature rose further in the closing moments as Carville inexplicably failed to award a free-kick after Dallas had been bundled into the advertising hoarding following a Ryan Catney challenge.

Crues boss Stephen Baxter was furious while keeper O'Neill was booked for remonstrating.

O'Neill saved a point for Crusaders in injury-time as he reacted brilliantly to save a deflected Ronan Scannell shot.

After the final whistle, there was finger-pointing aplenty and Crusaders backroom man Jeff Spiers made his views abundantly clear to referee Carville.