Comrades slumped to a heavy defeat at Lisburn Distillery after a dire second half performance.

The game opened with a flurry of goals inside the first eight minutes. The hosts opened the scoring in the second minute when a low ball across the box led to a close-range effort being kept out by Oisin McAllister, but the loose ball was then tucked away by McComb from close range.

Comrades reacted well to this early blow and came close to an equaliser within a minute when Stuart Hutchinson’s through ball sent Lewis Mearns free, but ‘keeper Carson came out to make a good block and turn the ball wide.

The Distillery keeper was however at fault when the visitors equalised in the sixth minute. Ryan McMenemy’s strike from 25 yards should have been comfortably saved, but Carson fumbled it through his legs and over the line.

Two minutes later Comrades had the lead. The hosts didn’t deal with a corner played into the box and the ball fell to Bobby Higgins who sent a low shot into the net.

Comrades continued on the front foot and on 13 minutes Dylan O’Kane hit a great shot from 25 yards which Carson did well to turn past the post.

The home keeper was called into action again in the 18th minute when Ryan McMenemy cut inside from the right and hit a shot, which Carson did well to keep out.

In the 23rd minute the visitors’ defensive frailties were highlighted again. A corner caused panic inside their box and Dougan was able to fire the ball into the net.

On 31 minute a stray cross from Cochrane almost dropped in at the far post, with Comrades glad to see the ball hit the crossbar.

Comrades then received a heavy blow on 35 minutes when influential midfielder Stuart Hutchinson had to leave the game with a serious looking arm injury.

Nathan McConnell’s men ended the first half strongly with a couple of decent chances. In the 44th minute a corner sent to the back post was met by a first-time effort from Logan Graham which rose over the bar. Then, two minutes later, good build up play led to a chance for Liam Toman who ran free into the box, but his resulting effort was slashed wide of the near post.

The sides went in at the break on level terms, but only one team were in it in the second half.

Distillery were on top from the off. Three minutes in Oisin McAllister had to turn a shot from Porter wide. From the resulting corner Morrison was there to head powerfully home to give his side the lead.

Three minutes later the hosts had another good chance as Comrades again failed to deal with a ball played into the box. This time they were lucky that McComb headed over from a good position.

All the danger was towards the visitors’ goal. In the 63 minute only a Dylan O’Kane clearance off the line prevented a goal after a free kick was sent into the box.

Comrades had a let off on 76 minutes when a cross to the back post was headed wide by Trimble. However, the same player made no mistake two minutes later when he blasted the ball in after receiving a lay off in the box after another high ball was played in.

Distillery cemented their dominance with a fifth goal in the 83rd minute when yet again Comrades didn’t deal with a high ball sent into the area, this time from a free kick, and Porter made no mistake when given the opportunity to shoot on goal.

Comrades’ misery was compounded two minutes into added time when Ashton McDermott was sent off after receiving a second yellow card.