The Blues moved in front after 18 minutes when Darren Lockhart headed past his own 'keeper whilst attempting to clear a Jamie Tomelty cross from the left.

It was almost 2-0 a minute later when Michael Gault sent a Michael Carvill corner just over while on 31 minutes a 25-yard Carvill free-kick suffered a similar fate.

Then, 12 minutes into the second half, Stephen Douglas wasted an opportunity to double Linfield's lead when he fired a spot-kick high over the bar awarded for a Lockhart foul on Carvill.

However the Blues lived dangerously as the game wore to a close with Andy Morrow heading narrowly wide for Bangor on 81 minutes followed by a couple of Paul McDowell efforts which Alan Mannus did well to keep out.

And Bangor might well have snatched a share of the spoils five minutes into added time when Dean Youle squandered a right-footed volley from just eight yards.