Kearney delighted with result

"That game certainly wasn't anywhere near as close as three-two because we battered them. That said though in football you sometimes don't get what you deserve from games.

"With fifteen minutes left in this game I thought that's exactly what was going to happen to us.

"However in the end we got the three points and that is the most important thing even if the score wasn't reflective of our dominance."

The former Ballymena United and Linfield midfielder was full of praise for young striker Shane Jennings.

"I have known Shane a long time and I would have expected nothing less of him than the performance he put in.

"I know he missed a couple of chances but it's the sign of a good striker when he makes it count when it's needed most.

"I have no doubt that Shane will develop into a wonderful striker if he keeps going the way he is."

The Ballymoney man also believes that his side have sent a message to the rest of the league with this result.

"Obviously you don't win the league in February but we have definitely kept ourselves in it with this result.

"It keeps us up there and we will be looking to stay up there as long as we possibly can.

"It means the other teams have to chase us now and that give us the incentive to stay ahead.

"I have played in teams were the league has been over at this stage of the season and that's not a nice position to be in.

"Being top keeps the competition high among the players too and that's another massive positive for me.

"All in all I'm over the moon with the result and I can't ask for anymore than that," concluded Kearney.