Ross Oliver praises Linfield star who will 'play through anything for this football club'

The Blues were coming off Co Antrim Shield defeat to the same opposition at the same venue on Tuesday evening but avenged that result as Kyle McClean’s brace and Fitzpatrick’s second-half header ensured David Healy’s side remain just one point adrift of leaders Ballymena United.

Fitzpatrick was injured in the process of heading home from close range – an important goal which restored Linfield’s lead just five minutes after former teammate Jordan Stewart had equalised for the hosts – and played on with heavy bandaging around his head.

Another ex-Blues star, Jimmy Callacher, handed Declan Caddell’s side a lifeline in the dying seconds but it proved too little, too late for the Crues despite last-gasp pressure.

Striker Fitzpatrick has now scored three Premiership goals in 11 appearances this season and 12 times across 46 league outings since arriving from Glenavon last season.

"Everyone knows what you get from Fitzy - he's that type of player,” Oliver told the club’s media channel. “We were having a joke in the dugout there that there's nowhere left for them to bandage Fitzy up.

"That's the way he is and he'll play through anything for this football club and for his teammates. That's the way he is. We're all under pressure when you're at this football club.

"We keep trying our best, keep working hard and hopefully the results come. Fitzy is invaluable to this team and everyone knows that and everyone around him knows it, so when he gets the goals it's pleasing for him and us."

Linfield had lost their previous two matches ahead of Saturday’s trip to North Belfast with Co Antrim Shield exit preceded by a 3-1 league defeat to bitter rivals Glentoran at Windsor Park.

They’ve scored more goals (23) than any other top-flight team while only Larne (six), who have played three games fewer, and Glentoran (nine) can boast a better defensive record.

Healy is still missing several players through injury – the Blues bench at Seaview included five teenagers who are yet to make their Premiership debut – and Oliver feels his side deserve credit for how they responded to consecutive losses.

"It's something we probably don't get enough credit for at times,” he added. “These boys always find a way to come back and sometimes people need to be careful when they're beating us down because that's when we stand up to be counted and come back strong.

"The result was massive and they proved again when the chips are down they can put a performance like that in. We knew off the back of recent results and performances we had to put a show on and the boys fought for every ball, header, first ball, second ball - I just thought they were brilliant.

"No (the crisis isn’t over), especially not here because you're only one game away from a crisis.

"That's the nature of this football club and we understand that, the players understand it and that's why when we go on and win things and be successful it's a credit to the boys because mentally you have to be strong."

Manager Healy was sent off at the end of the game, but Oliver “missed what happened, when the whistle blew, I was away celebrating”.