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Crusaders kept up the pressure on league leaders Cliftonville with a 3-1 win over Lisburn Distillery at Seaview.

All the goals came in the second half of a gritty contest with headers from Jordan Owens (58) and Colin Coates (68) putting the Crues in control.

Gary Liggett's fine strike from outside the box after 70 minutes pulled one back for the bottom-placed Whites.

The visitors pushed for an equaliser but Declan Caddell broke away to score a third for the Crues in stoppage time.

The first half was workmanlike with few chances created by either side.

The best chance of the opening period fell to Crusaders after 15 minutes. Gary McCutcheon's cross picked out Owens but his flick rolled narrowly wide.

Three goals were scored in 12 second-half minutes.

Owens broke the deadlock when he headed Gareth McKeown's cross past Whites' goalkeeper Billy Brennan in the 58th minute.

Coates added a second goal 10 minutes later, heading Paul Heatley's corner in off the post.

Distillery, who had won one of their previous 15 outings, responded instantly when Liggett's super long-range strike made it 2-1.

The visitors pressed hard in the final 20 minutes for the equalizer but Caddell broke away for Crusaders' third in stoppage time, to keep them in the second place in the Irish Premiership, seven points behind Cliftonville.