LINFIELD manager Warren Feeney last night hailed his side following their Europa League win over NSI Runavik at Windsor Park.
Goals from Andy Waterworth and Guy Bates gave the Blues a first leg win and they will now aim to finish the job in the Faroe Island next week. It’s nothing new to the Belfast team. Should they send Runavik packing, it will be the fourth time since 2012 that they’ve eliminated a side from the Faroes.
“I’m thrilled for the boys,” said Feeney.
“To be honest, they are miles ahead of us in terms of fitness. They are in the middle of their season. We’ve got a great advantage but, for me, it’s only half-time. We have got to do it all again next week to make sure we are in the second round.
“I told the boys to keep a good shape. Because we were lacking fitness, I wanted the boys to be disciplined -- and they were. I think we have firepower to score over there. That would make it very difficult for them.”
It was the visitors who threatened to silence the big crowd on only two minutes when Ara Frederiksberg cut inside to find Jaraldur Hojgaard, who drilled the ball over the crossbar when he really should have done better.
The Blues got a foothold in the game and in a slick one-touch move, brought the crowd to life. Sean Ward’s delicious pass found Waterworth, whose clever back flick sent Bates racing into the box, but the big former Glenavon man could only shoot tamely at goalkeeper Andras Gango.
Seconds later Waterworth’s pace exposed the Faroese defence. He looked a certain scorer until he dragged his shot across the face of the goal.
Defender Sean Ward was next to try his luck, picking up a Stephen Lowry pass before firing in a thundering 25 yard drive that Gango got down smartly to save at the base of the post.
Linfield did have the ball in the net when Lowry’s cross was headed home by Waterworth. However, the midfielder had strayed into an offside position.
Runavik then had a real let off on 56 minutes when Lowry’s free-kick fell for Ivan Sproule, whose shot was hoofed off the line by a posse of defenders. But they could do nothing seconds later when Sproul’s corner kick was headed into the box by Mark Haughey for Waterworth to volley home, sending the home crowd delerious.
It got even better from the Blues grabbed a second goal on 73 minutes. Lowry picked out Bates and, after tricking his way past his marker, he drilled he ball into the bottom corner.
Ross Glendinning produced the save of the night eight minutes before the finish. Frederiksberg’s free kick came off the head of Burns and with the ball arrowing into the top corner, the big shot stopper launched himself to pull off a wonderful stop.
