David Healy hails teenage goal hero for taking Linfield opportunity as Blues return to top of Premiership table with win over Glenavon

Former Linfield midfielder Robbie Garrett was shown a straight red card in the 18th minute by referee Evan Boyce for a challenge on Jamie Mulgrew and soon after 19-year-old ace Annett fired the visitors ahead with a composed finish.

The Lurgan Blues defended resolutely despite their numerical disadvantage and it took until the 76th minute before David Healy’s side were able to kill the game off with another teenager, 17-year-old Aodhan Doherty, producing a magical run after being introduced off the bench to slide in Joel Cooper.

Annett, who joined Linfield from Championship outfit Dundela in January alongside Ryan McKay, scored twice in last weekend’s dramatic 4-3 triumph over Dungannon Swifts and boss Healy praised his young attacker for taking an opportunity.

"We need players to step up and Rhys has done that,” he said. “The first goal was always going to be important and the second goal became crucial too.

"If we don't find that breakthrough with the way Glenavon were working then it becomes a bit more stretched and nervy, so the first goal was important. Rhys has that instinctive know-how in and around the box.

"He scored many goals like that when he was playing for Dundela with sharp feet in crowded areas and he takes the touch and puts it through the defender’s legs. It was a brilliant finish and it was an important goal for us.

"Rhys is still learning and developing. He has been with us for a year now in January since we brought him in from Dundela and he's striving to be better, physically he's improving and I have no doubt going forward that we have a hungry young man that's capable of scoring goals."

Ultimately, Healy was delighted to be leaving Lurgan having achieved their pre-match objective of three points.

"We possibly could have been more polished, but I think you have to hand Stevie (McDonnell) and his players credit for the way they stuck to the task and the new manager coming in has got a bounce from the players,” he added. “We knew the challenges coming down here and young Doherty picked the ball that we probably wanted for the previous 30 minutes which gave us a comfortable enough cushion to go on and win the game."

Mulgrew was replaced at half-time and Healy is hoping that his influential skipper won’t have to join a growing injury list that already includes the likes of midfielders Chris Shields, Stephen Fallon and Jordan Stewart ahead of the busy festive schedule.

"I thought it was a red card,” he said. “There may be some question marks in and around it, but the level of that sort of challenge now is a straight red card.

"It's very rare that we have to take Jamie off, but it got to half-time and he was telling us in the 44th minute to prepare somebody.

"He's as resolute and tough as anyone in the league because he gets so many fouls and he has an extremely good understanding of his body. We'll probably know more during the week."