Christy Manzinga fires Linfield back to the summit

After suffering back-to-back defeats – by Coleraine and Larne - the pressure was on David Healy’s team to deliver, and they didn’t disappoint as they took a large chunk of revenge on Tiernan Lynch’s team.

They were still smarting from Friday night’s Irish Cup loss and they came out with all guns blazing and the victory took them back to the top of the Danske Bank Premiership table.

Stevie Fallon shot the Blues into the lead – an advantage that was wiped out by a strike from substitute Ronan Hale in the second half.

But Christy Manzinga hit a priceless winner for Healy’s team – his 20th goal of the season.

Following that shattering result on Friday, it was no surprise Healy revamped his team, introducing Connor Pepper, for his first League start of the season after injury, Sam Roscoe, and new signings Jake Hastie and Kieron Evans.

Healy’s latest acquisition from St Johnstone, 22-year-old striker Eetu Vertainen was named among the seven substitutes.

Buoyed by the Cup victory, Larne manager Tiernan Lynch opted to stick with the same starting eleven.

Both teams were content for an early bout of sparring with tensions spilling over from their previous meeting. Linfield had a couple of free kick opportunities, that were wasted.

Albert Watson flattened Niall Quinn, but Evans’ set piece was easily cleared by Faud Sule.

Then on 18 minutes, Fallon was chopped down by an eager John Herron, but this time Quinn’s free kick was expertly dealt with by the perpetrator Herron.

Larne striker Davy McDaid tried to make things happen on 21 minutes when he tried his luck from distance, but Chris Johns had little difficulty saving at the base of the post.

The former Derry City man and another go 10 minutes from the interval, wriggling across the face of the box before firing in a left-footed effort that again failed to trouble Johns.

But the Linfield half of the ground erupted on 38 minutes with that Fallon wonder goal.

He picked the pocket of a dithering Ben Doherty and, having stopped Devlin off his line, he produced the most delicious of lobs that seem to hang in the night air for a long time before nestling in the net.

Lynch’s boys were back on terms on 65 minutes. Scott and substitute Lee Lynch both had shots blocked by some frantic defending, but when the ball broke to Hale, he made no mistake from six yards.

Hale almost did it again on 69 minutes when he got in front of Pepper only to direct his header wide following a brilliant cross on the right by Lynch.

Larne were asking all the questions at this stage and Lee Bonis held his head in his frustration when he got up above everyone else to power his header over the top, following another Lynch delivery.

But the Blues nudged ahead again 17 minutes from time.

Hastie’s corner kick flashed across the box to Manzinga at the back post and his raking low drive flashed past the diving Devlin.