David Healy warns Linfield they can’t afford another below-par performance

While many suggested a European hangover following their heartbreaking defeat to RFS Healy wasn’t having saying there was “no excuse” for the performance.

The Blues boss has told his players a similar display against the Sky Blues this afternoon will lead to the same outcome.

“I came out with the fighting talk the other night on behalf of the players, and we received a lot of messages saying how unlucky we were,” Healy told the club website. “That’s fine but you have to go and back that up.

“You have to go and be hungrier than what we were against Carrick and be better than what we were.

“Again as the manager I will come out with the fighting talk that we will be better after a week’s training and we’ll get going at Ballymena.

“But if we turn up with that same level of performance we won’t beat Ballymena.

“We will have honest and open discussions with the players and the team that we select will hopefully go and perform, work hard and hopefully have three hard-earned points at the end.

“There is no excuse. There may have been a hangover in the mindset, but physically and mentally the players should have been ready to go.

“That’s what I’ve done as a manager. We’ve always gone and backed up success with winning games straight after, or we’ve responded in the proper manner when we’ve lost or been humbled.

“We didn’t do that on Sunday and I can’t even fathom to think that we can have any sort of excuse for Thursday night.”