Linfield boss David Healy believes patience paid off as his team raced eight points clear at the top of the Premiership table after their 3-0 win over Coleraine.

Striker Matthew Fitzpatrick bagged a delightful double, while the irrepressible Joel Cooper was also on the mark as Healy’s boys laid down a title marker.

Even though the victory hardened the Blues’ challenge at the top, it was another miserable day for Dean Shiels’ vastly under strength Bannsiders, who have now slipped to eighth in the table.

With the league campaign at the halfway point, Healy is certainly not getting carried away with his team’s hefty advantage.

placeholder image — Both Matthew Fitzpatrick and Joel Cooper were on the scoresheet as Linfield extended their Premiership advantage. (Photo by Desmond Loughery/Pacemaker Press)

“All we can do is carry on what we are doing,” he said. “We have four games left now until the end of December.

“It’s important we try and maximise as many points as we can. This was another crucial win for us.

"Coleraine did put us under a little bit of pressure in the second half for around 10 or 15 minutes, without really creating any clear-cut chances.

“They had a few free-kicks in and around our box. With that you always run the risk of conceding, but we managed that and came out stronger before getting a couple of big goals.”

Healy admitted his boys huffed and puffed until Fitzpatrick’s opening blockbuster on the half-hour – it was a thundering drive.

“We had to be patient,” he added. “Any team that comes to Windsor try to keep the crowd quiet and keep us off the scoresheet and Coleraine did that to a certain extent.

“There were still bits and pieces in the first half which I liked and Fitzy’s goal was a huge moment for us in the game. It helped give us that little bit of belief.

“Credit to the players in terms of being adaptable in the second half because we reverted to three at the back and used our wing backs. Kirk (Millar) wasn’t at his best for one reason and one reason only, he had been ill for most of the week.

“Kirk being Kirk, he was determined and he was committed to the job he was assigned to do. He wanted to put himself on the line for the team. We made the change and got a little bit of joy in the end.”

Coleraine boss Dean Shiels admitted he had problems getting 11 fit players on the pitch.

“We had very few training all week; at one stage we had eight players training,” he said. “We had players that sat on the bench, but really couldn’t come on.

“We finished the game with a 16-year-old striker, which probably summed up our difficulties.

“Yes, we were very light in numbers, losing players like (Matthew) Shevlin, (Jamie) McGonigle, (Graham) Kelly and (Cameron) Stewart. It was always going to be difficult, but I thought we did extremely well in the second half.

“We got into loads of brilliant areas; we dominated for the first 20 minutes after the break and pinned Linfield in, but just couldn’t find that killer touch or that moment in the final third.

“In saying that, Linfield are a good side. I don’t think any team could have handled Cooper when he is in a mood like that.”