Linfield midfielder Chris Shields claims 'every game is a cup final' in title race

​It wasn’t pretty at times, but David Healy’s boys did what was required to keep them in the Danske Bank Premiership title mix.

Shields rammed home an early opener from the spot after referee Shane Andrew perhaps rather harshly penalised defender Dean Jarvis for a handball offence.

The Blues sealed the deal early after the restart when Kirk Millar whipped in a trademark delivery from the right that was met by Matty Clarke at the back post and, even though his header was superbly saved by Gareth Deane, Eetu Vertainen was on hand to tap home his 19th goal of the season.

Former Dundalk man Shields reckons every point must now be a prisoner to his team as they still trail runaway leaders Larne by seven points with now only eight games of a fascinating title race remaining.

“It’s all about picking up as many points possible until we reach the split (when the league breaks into two halves),” said Shields. “Every game is now a cup final.

“Although we are very much looking forward to the League Cup final against Coleraine next month, every league game now takes on a similar status. That’s the way you want it to be at this stage of the campaign, every match now means a lot, every member of our squad knows that.

“It wasn’t pretty at times. It was stop-start with many free kicks and niggly fouls. But they are a good side, we did what was needed to get the points.

“I thought our game management was good when we established the two-goal lead.”

With Larne, Cliftonville and the Blues now beginning to pull away from the chasing pack, Shields admits his team’s next game is ‘massive’.

“We got to Larne next Tuesday and it’s now our biggest game of the season, but those are that fixtures you relish,” he added. “Games between the sides have been so tight this season. Yes, they got us at a bad time back in October. We were a wounded animal after the European exit, and we were on a poor run.

“But we beat them a few weeks later. The last two games required penalty kicks in cup competitions to separate us, which was a lottery. There will be a bumper crowd, there always is up there when Linfield are in town."

Healy’s men will next be in action on March 7 when they travel to Inver Park for a crunch clash with current pace-setters Larne, who haven’t lost at home since November.

LINFIELD: Johns, Roscoe, Shields, Callacher, Millar, Cooper (Haygarth, 90), M.Clarke, Finlayson, Mulgrew (Palmer, 90), Vertainen (McKee, 59), Lafferty (A.Clarke, 92)

Subs (not used): Walsh, Hall, Annett

COLERAINE: Deane, Kane, D.Jarvis, A.Jarvis, O’Donnell, Lynch, Glackin, O’Mahony (Fyfe, 75), McDermott, Shevlin (McCrudden, 84), Scott

Subs (not used): Doherty, Mullan, Carson, Carlin, McLaughlin

REFEREE: Shane Andrews