David Healy couldn’t hide his “dejection” after a night of extraordinary Irish Premiership drama where his Linfield side went from looking set to lead the table to suddenly slip three points behind leaders Larne.
As the games at Windsor Park and The Oval reached injury-time, Healy’s Blues looked set to regain leadership of the table as they led Coleraine 2-1, with Larne drawing 1-1 against Glentoran.
But an extraordinary turn of events happened in the space of 60 seconds deep into added time at both venues as Glentoran defender Jonny Russell turned into his own net to put Larne ahead, before Matthew Shevlin grabbed a last-gasp Coleraine equaliser.
Suddenly instead of being a point ahead at the top of the table, the Blues were three adrift of Tiernan Lynch’s men with only two rounds of fixtures remaining.
And if this most exciting of title tussles needed any more spice, the dramatic events had transpired five days before the top-two meet in their penultimate fixture on Monday at Windsor Park.
‘I was one of the managers pushing for extra minutes’
While composed, Healy did question the seven minutes of added time which allowed Shevlin to snatch Coleraine’s equaliser, although the Blues boss candidly acknowledged that he had told referees earlier this season that they weren’t playing sufficient injury time.
“I was one of the managers that pushed for the extra minutes earlier in the season,” said Healy.
“Other managers were in a similar situation. When you are winning the game, you want less. When you are drawing or pushing to try and win the game, you want more.
“It’s not sour grapes in any way but I just didn’t feel as if there were seven minutes tonight.
“We were at Seaview the other night and there was four when we were drawing in the last minute [before snatching victory].
“Listen, it is what it is, first and foremost we didn’t defend properly and we got done.”
Healy said the home fans’ reaction told him that the night appeared to be going his side’s way before the late drama unfolded.
“I wasn’t aware of it [Larne’s goal]. I knew from the reaction in the crowd that it was probably stalemate [in the closing stages at The Oval].”
The Blues boss now will have a job of work in getting his players’ and indeed the staff’s morale raised for a contest where a Larne victory will mean they retain the title.
“As dejected as I am, and everyone is feeling that because that’s what it is, but we’ve always been a positive staff. So it’s my job, my staff’s job to pick each other up, to pick the players up and make sure we are ready to go again,” added the Blues manager.
“All credit to Larne by the way. The are a magnificent team and they have been brilliant this year. They are in complete control now of their own destiny.
“As disappointed as we feel now, everybody feels as if something has slipped away from you, but I’ve been here before.
“I’ve been in situations, I’ve been successful, I’ve been unsuccessful in different years, so it’s down to me and my managerial skills and prowess and whatever else it is.”