Jordan Stewart’s golden goal reaction offers key insight into Linfield strength

Playmaker Stewart fired home a decisive and delightful volley to complete a fightback by the defending Danske Bank Premiership champions on an afternoon which left Glenavon forced to reflect on the absence of a cutting edge enjoyed by Linfield.

Danny Purkis capped a thrilling first-half home display by breaking the deadlock but Niall Quinn’s header minutes after the interval left it level before Stewart stepped up to claim the spotlight with a wonderful instinctive finish from outside the box.

Stewart opted to focus on Linfield’s collective strength over any individual plaudits.

“It’s a nice goal...it was there to be hit,” said Stewart. “But it’s all about the three points.

“With hard work you create your own good fortune and we kept together as a team.

“Niall Quinn’s was a great header, he’s directed it and it’s found the back of the net.

“Then we were pushing high up the pitch, Navid Nasseri’s challenged, the ball’s dropped to me in the right place.

“It was one of those days up until then if I’d been withdrawn it wouldn’t have been harsh.

“But I always work hard and, thankfully, managed to grab the winner so, overall, it’s a great day.

“I was unhappy to have missed a few opportunities so it was good to be able to contribute with the winning goal.

“We know we underperformed and deserved to be 1-0 down but stuck together and regrouped for the second half.

“We have that about us to dig deep and, at this stage, it’s about those three points.

“Even not at our free-flowing best we all worked hard and put a shift in.

“At Glenavon, or any away game in this league, it is difficult so we can go up the road happy.

“We always go to the end and want to win the game...if it’s the last 10 seconds we’ll still be looking for a winning goal.”

A first defeat of the league season for Larne allowed Linfield to open up a two-point gap, having played one game extra, at the top of the table.

“We will just keep working hard, doing the right things and, hopefully, picking up the results,” said Stewart. “Everyone is going to drop points over a long season and Larne have been brilliant.

“But we can only focus on ourselves then, come the end of the season, hopefully it stands us in good stead.

“We’ve been here and done it before, we’re really happy to go 1-0 down and come back on what was a big day after the break.”

GLENAVON: Tuffey, Larmour, Doyle, Purkis, Clingan, Fitzpatrick, McCloskey, O’Mahony (Jenkins, 81), Singleton, Garrett, Ward.

Subs (not used): Taylor, Coates, Byrne, Moorhouse, Harmon, Rea.

LINFIELD: Johns, Haughey, Callacher, Waterworth, Stewart, Millar, Clarke (Nasseri, 75), McClean (Fallon, 75), Mulgrew, Pepper, Quinn.

Subs (not used): Moore, Stafford, Larkin, Kearns, Doyle.

Referee: Andrew Davey.

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