The Reds, who have won their last two games and scored 10 goals in the process, hit the ground running with Rory Hale's quickfire double putting them in front inside eight minutes.

Shaun Leppard header gave the Reds more breathing space, but a Dan Bent penalty on 72 minutes followed by a Matty Lusty goal with 10 minutes to go set up a grandstand finish.

The visitors piled on the pressure, but it was Cliftonville who scored again as substitute Rhyss Campbell broke away to score the fourth with the last kick of the game condemning Gary Haveron's side to a third defeat in six games.

Larne's title hopes take another dent

Fresh from hitting seven against Carrick Rangers last Saturday, the hosts carried that momentum into this game and found themselves two goals to the good inside eight minutes.

It was Hale who did the damage firstly racing onto a Joe Sheridan through ball before lobbing Rohan Ferguson in the sixth minute before beating the Larne stopper from outside the box just two minutes later.

It could have been even better for the Reds if Ben Quinn had converted in between the Hale goals, with Ferguson getting down well to gather his low drive.

Larne spurned an opportunity to get back into the game in the 17th minute as Dylan Sloan teed up Lusty, but he dragged his shot wide of the far post.

The chances continued to come as Quinn glanced a Dean McMaster corner wide of the far post before Leppard blocked another Lusty effort at the other end.

The visitors made a double change at the break with Leroy Millar and Kevin O'Hara coming on for Ronan Doherty and Paul O'Neill, but it was the hosts who continued to pose a threat with Hale having a header save from a Liam McStravick cross.

A third goal for Cliftonville duly arrived in the 61st minute as Leppard rose highest to glance home McMaster's inswinging corner to all but extinguish Larne's hopes of a comeback.

The visitors weren't done just yet though as they got a glimmer of hope on 72 minutes as Bent slotted home from the penalty spot after Lusty had been brought down by Joel Thompson.

Larne's tails were up as O'Hara forced PJ Morrison into a smart save, but the keeper was caught in no-man's land minute later as the reigning champions pulled another goal back.

It was Lusty who raced onto James Simpson's through ball before lobbing the ball over the onrushing Reds keeper to set up a massive final 10 minutes.

Larne piled on the pressure but right at the death they were hit with a final sucker-punch as Campbell raced unopposed onto Joe Gormley's pass before slamming the ball past Ferguson to seal the points.