Waterside men shock the Blues with late equaliser

The Drumahoe men, who last week conceded in stoppage time winner to Cliftonville, had Paddy McLaughlin to thank for their share of the spoils against the Windsor Park outfit.

Although Warren Feeney’s side were dominant in the first half as they really did a job on the home side, they failed to drive home their advantage and in the end their lack lustre second half display combined with Stute’s tremendous never say die attitude meant Paul Kee’s side deservedly earned a point.

Boss Paul Kee was thrilled with McLaughlin’s late equaliser and he felt his side got their due rewards for being brave.

“Sometimes these things level themselves out and I’m really pleased for the players,” he said.

“The players effort and application was fantastic, yes I was a bit disappointed with the first half because Linfield had the momentum.

“However that’s credit to them because they went and stopped us from playing. They came and stopped us from getting out, because they know that we try to play, so they obviously did their homework.

“But we weren’t brave enough, we didn’t have enough about us, we didn’t give enough effort and we hide, but in the second half we didn’t, we did the totally opposite.”

Kee also conceded that some harsh words had to be used at the break as he wanted his side to get a foot hold in the game.

“There were a few home truths said at half-time and credit to the players they went and performed at a high level after the break and that’s what they need to do every week.

“A few people said to me about us giving them too much respect in the first half, but I don’t agree, if anything Linfield respected us, because they stopped us from playing.

“We did not get out and (Jonathan) Tuffey had nothing to do in the first half and that was because they had good players who were working hard and stopping us.

“We had no momentum, no consecutive passes, no consistence of play, no control of the game and that’s why we ended up with egg on our face.

“We talked about the facts that we had to get playing up the pitch, being brave, getting on the ball and making chances and that’s what we did in the second half.”

Linfield had a number of chances in the first half but only had Ivan Sproule’s goal just before the half-hour mark to thank for all their efforts in the opening 45 minutes.

After the break the home side were like a different team with Stephen Curry really coming into his own tormenting the Blues back-line.

On two occasions the wing-back had chances to level things but firstly Tuffey denied him and then minutes later he struck a post, but Linfield should have added the crucial second goal on 73 minutes.

A Kris Millar’s right wing free-kick picked out an unmarked Jimmy Callagher, but the big centre-back somehow failed to trouble Stute keeper Michael Doherty and headed wide from close range.

That miss from Callagher came back to haunt his side as Institute levelled things on 86 minutes as McLaughlin headed home Cormac Burke’s teasing high free-kick which had drawn Tuffey from his line.

Institute: M Doherty, McLaughlin, Scoltock, Crown; Curry, Walsh, McManus, Forker (Burke 39), McKeever (B Doherty 74); McCauley (McBride 74), O’Flynn.

Linfield: Tuffey, Hegarty, Richards, Haughey, M Clarke; Lowry, Callagher (Clucas 74), Burns; Sproule, Thompson (Feeney 67), Millar.

Referee: Colin Burns (Newtownabbey).