Important moments ‘by-passed us’, says Linfield boss David Healy

The Blues looked like securing all three points against their city rivals at Windsor Park as Sam Roscoe headed in from a corner kick just before the half-time interval.

However, Glentoran remained in the game and secured a share of the spoils in stoppage time as Burns latched onto Ruaidhri Donnelly’s knock down to dent Linfield’s slim chances of a fifth successive title.

Healy lamented the goal his side conceded and believes the outcome epitomised where the two clubs are at in terms of League positions as Larne edge closer to a historic triumph.

"Sometimes when you're probably not in the best of form and you're winning the game, they've emptied the bench to go long and it's always a hard one about how deep you go and the pressure you put on it higher up the pitch,” he said.

"We did neither as we didn't get enough pressure on the ball for the goal and we didn't win the first or second ball.

"It was a poor goal to concede at a poor time.

"I thought our level of work rate was good tonight but our level of performance with the ball was average and that's for both teams.

"We talk about where we are in the League and it was second versus fourth and that probably sums up where both clubs are at the minute.

"Larne have been the best team throughout the year and second, third and fourth sums up where ourselves, Glentoran, Cliftonville and whoever else deserve to be at the moment.”

Linfield added the BetMcLean Cup to their trophy cabinet last month but Healy stressed that the Blues didn’t take advantage when in good form and refused to blame the heartache of missing out on group stage European football.

"I think there's been really good performances after Europe - so it's not something I want to look at and be regretful about,” he continued.

"It did take the wind out of us and the whole club and there was major disappointment as we thought we had done enough to go and progress through.

"Sometimes it doesn't happen and it's about how you react and respond.

"The players did to their credit and there were periods of the season where we did get close to and around the top.

"We have not done ourselves justice this season with the squad of players we have.

"We were right in and amongst it two or three times this year and ready to push on, but when the important moment came, it by-passed us and we didn't take advantage of when we were in good form.

"There were games we should have done better in and put more pressure on when the gap was two, three or four points.

"We never put ourselves in a strong enough position to go level or above Larne and that's been our downfall.

"The key moments such as the 91st minute tonight, key moments when we had decent chances against Cliftonville, Crusaders and Coleraine at home that we haven't capitalised enough.”