‘We’re taking part in good soccer’: Tiernan Lynch backs Larne to emerge from stoop

Larne boss Tiernan Lynch insists his boys won’t be hit by the recent disappointments in today’s Danske Bank Premiership clash with Dungannon Swifts at Inver Park.

Even though the East Antrim side are in second place, just five points behind Linfield, they know it could have been much better.

When David Healy’s side lost valuable points at the Carrick Rangers mid-week, Larne seemed to fill the gap until Portadown’s Lee Bonis used an unusual mistake by goalkeeper Conor Devlin to raid an unlikely equalizer.

The result meant Larne scored just six points out of a possible 15 and is still looking for her first home win in 2021 – stats hardly associated with a team with serious title aspirations.

Regarding the Covid-19 pandemic, there is still uncertainty about the league campaign. Perhaps it’s this added pressure that has created inconsistencies.

Lynch isn’t the one to think about what could have been. Instead, he’ll get his team back on track for Kris Lindsay’s Swifts visit.

“I keep telling the guys, we just have to stick together, keep working hard and we’ll be fine,” he said. “I have no doubt it will change for us and we will be right back where we were.

“We take the positive results from every game – and there were a lot in the midweek. We have to keep doing the right things, making the runs and getting the ball in the right areas.”

“I wouldn’t get on my nerves, we will be punished for every mistake. It’s something we have to work our way through. It won’t last and it can’t last forever. I would be more concerned if we didn’t would be. ” I don’t play good football.

“We play good, attractive football and we create good opportunities. If I am critical, we have not achieved enough of the opportunities we created.”

A big plus for Larne midweek was the performance of new boy Dylan Mottley-Henry, who scored a goal and assisted in Ronan Hale’s tap-in.

“It was excellent – it was everything we expected,” added Lynch.

“Unfortunately he hasn’t played in a few weeks and he was tired. He was excellent in the first phase, really exciting.

“Dylan was brought in to give us something else and he’s been showing really good signs. He still finds his feet in this league.”

Although it was two single mistakes that cost the Invermen all three points mid-week, Lynch believes it’s a team game.

He added: “We scored two goals which should be enough for us to win the game. We didn’t get the result we wanted, but in my opinion we were excellent.

“If we hadn’t made the two mistakes, we would have won 2-0. It would have been a pleasant night.

“I’m not going to talk about the mistakes, it’s an integral part of the game. It was very frustrating, we were dominant throughout the game.

“I don’t think Portadown scored a shot on goal in open play. Two single mistakes cost us, that’s what happens in football.

“I can’t be overly critical. It was a result that we had to take the chin and move on.

“People have to realize that there are no easy games in this league. Every game is a different kind of challenge, so we have to prepare for another big test against Dungannon Swifts, a well-trained and well-managed team.” “”

Belfast Telegraph