Milltown display was Institute's best yet: Sean Connor

Trailing to Danny Wallace’s 84th minute goal, bottom club ’Stute were potentially sitting five points adrift of Town with relegation almost certain before Gavin Smith’s own goal kept the Waterside men in with a fighting chance of avoiding the drop with nine games to go.

“It was an amazing finish to a really good performance from ourselves,” insisted Connor.

“With six minutes to go I thought we were going to lose and I was disappointed for the players because we didn’t deserve a defeat. Probably with a few minutes to go we looked like we were going out of the Premier Division but the boys dug deep and got the goal.

“We were unlucky not to score another goal late on but it’s a big, big point for us and a big, big performance to keep our season alive.”

Wallace’s goal looked to have won it for Town and Conor was disappointed by how his side conceded it.

“It was totally against the run of play. We had three or four great chances, their keeper has made three or four point blank saves, two from Evan Tweed, one from (Cormac) Burke and one from (Conor) Tourish. It only looked like one team was going to win it, we were in total control,” he added.

“So, for us to concede from our own corner, which to be fair was a really good move and good finish, but I was disappointed.

“However, the way the players dug deep was tremendous and I’m really, really proud of every one of them.”

With the season entering its business end, the ’Stute boss believes Barry Gray’s men will be disappointed not to have won but he’s already looking forward to the return fixture at the Brandywell.

“Listen if we lose 2-1, we are out of the Premiership. Right now Warrenpoint know they got out of jail and they know they have to come to the Brandywell,” he confirmed. “In the first half we were the better team and in the second half we played well again, so to come from behind twice in this game, I think it shows a lot of character.

“We said to the boys after the game that could be the point that keeps us in the league and we have to take a lot of positives out of the game.

“Warrenpoint have got to come to the Brandywell and if we perform like that on the bigger pitch, I think we have a great chance.”

Connor also felt their battling display at Milltown, was ’Stute’s best performance since he became manager.

“In terms of playing football and applying pressure, that was our best performance since I came in. We were really, really good away to Larne and Crusaders, but tonight that performance had everything we want. James Henry was superb, he always wanted to get on the ball. Tourish at the back was solid. Tweed was very good and big Ahu Obhakhan got his first goal.

“We scored two goals, dominated the ball and that’s as good as performance since I have been here.”