Linfield’s Conference League campaign came to an end in the first qualifying round on Thursday evening, despite beating Icelandic visitors Stjarnan 3-2 at Windsor Park.

Carrying a two-goal deficit into the reverse tie in Belfast following Emil Atlason’s brace in Garðabær last week, David Healy’s side made a dream start when Joel Cooper’s cross was deflected into his own net by Gudmundur Kristjansson.

Atlason’s second-half diving header put Stjarnan in the driving seat once again, but the Blues responded in fine fashion with 17-year-old Matthew Orr marking his debut with a memorable goal before Matthew Fitzpatrick levelled the tie.

However, there would be late drama as Hilmar Halldorsson struck in the 88th minute to seal a 4-3 aggregate victory for Stjarnan, who will now face Estonian outfit Paide Linnameeskond after they squeezed past Welsh outfit Bala Town in extra-time.

placeholder image — Linfield manager David Healy. PIC: David Maginnis/Pacemaker Press

Here’s what Linfield boss Healy had to say on the match:

Reaction to the result

"It’s gut-wrenching. You can look at it – the goals we conceded tonight were frustratingly similar pattern wise to what we conceded last year, even though there’s different personnel.

"We’ve a new back-four playing with Ryan McKay, Sam Roscoe, Scot Whiteside and Ethan McGee. The frustrating thing is the manner of the goals. We got what we craved with the early goal...we probably didn’t capitalise on the other moments we had in the first-half.

"I think we missed one or two opportunities to go and get the second goal, but I still firmly believed at half-time we were well in the tie and then you put yourself on the back foot with the poor goal we concede.

"You have to hand the players a lot of credit – they stuck at it, we changed shape a little bit, changed one or two and got our joy and goals. The frustrating thing is the tie is level again and somehow we found a way to concede in the manner we conceded.”

On looking like one winner when tie was level at 3-3

"It was probably a sense of we’d changed the shape – our two attacking wide players were Joel Cooper and Kirk Millar – and we’d made changes to get ourselves back in it.

"I felt over the last 10 minutes that we could pinch the game and go and win it with them playing high. It’s something I look at, assess and hopefully address going forward.

"In-game management is key and important, but looking at it, we were brave in the decisions we made, got our joy from it and still felt we could go on and win the tie.”

On chances being there to score goals

"Kirk Millar must have put about 15 balls in, like he did last week, and when you break it down to this week and last week, last week not getting the goals with the opportunities we had has ultimately cost us this week, even though this week we got ourselves in a strong position.

"We got ourselves level in the tie and didn’t find a way to go and win it, but found a way to concede in the manner we did.”