Gary Haveron hoping injury to key Larne player 'won't be as serious as it looks' after late Dungannon Swifts win
Larne manager Gary Haveron felt his side were deserved winners at Stangmore Park as Paul O’Neill extended their unbeaten Premiership run with a late penalty in a 2-1 triumph over Dungannon Swifts.
Mark Randall’s free-kick was cancelled out by a stunning Steven Scott strike, and just when it looked like the two teams couldn’t be separated, O’Neill kept his composure to convert from the spot after Matty Lusty was brought down by Declan Dunne.
Larne remain two points clear of Coleraine and also hold two games in hand over the Bannsiders, who defeated Crusaders on Saturday.
Here’s what Haveron had to say after the match:
LATE DRAMA – THOUGHTS ON THE GAME?
"I thought we were the team that was pushing to win the game.
"It's never easy to come down here to Stangmore. Rodney's (McAree) got such a good team, they're so well organised, so well drilled, they're so difficult to play against, especially at home.
"It was really, really important that we backed up Tuesday (win over Coleraine) and that we came down here and we took three points. As much as we left it late, I thought we were the team that was knocking on the door.
"We created more of the clear-cut chances. Decky (Dunne) made all the saves, Ro’s (Ferguson) not had a save to make.
"It's a wonder strike from them on the break. One long ball that came down and he hit a great strike. But other than that, I can't remember them having a shot on target or on goal.
"I thought we had the more clear-cut chances. I thought we were the team that was in the ascendancy and we were the team that deserved to win the game.”
REAL EMPHASIS ON WINNING THIS GAME AFTER LAST PERFORMANCE IN DUNGANNON (2-0 DEFEAT)?
"100%. It hurt, it hurt badly that day.
"I thought we were so lacklustre, I thought we never showed our qualities, our values, who we are as a club and who we are as a team.
"But today, we showed just about every side of us. When we've got to dig in and fight, we can fight...we showed we're capable.
"Matty Lusty combining with Paul to get the winner, albeit through the penalty, was really good...really good composure at such a late stage of the game. It's great to still have that composure and get the vital touch to win us a game.”
TRADEMARK MARK RANDALL FINISH?
"Yeah, it's starting to become a bit like it! His confidence is there.
"I love Mark. He's been absolutely brilliant for the football club since the day he arrived nearly eight years ago and we're so lucky to have someone of that quality.
"I think you've got to just enjoy having Mark Randall at your football club for as long as he can keep going and keep sustaining his levels. He's shown no sign of dropping off.
"He's incredible, how he looks after himself, and it’s just rewards the new contract because he's just an outstanding lad to have at our football club.”
HOW IS CHRIS GALLAGHER (SUBSTITUTED BEFORE HALF-TIME WITH SHOULDER INJURY)?
"He's landed heavily on his shoulder. I thought that was a poor decision because he's clearly getting hit from behind and he's spun round and he's not been able to protect himself.
"He's landed heavily on his shoulder, so I thought it was poor. He's ended up hurt, but we'll assess him and see how he is and hopefully it won't be as serious as it looks.”