Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
WORTH HIS WEIGHT IN GOALS
Veteran Blues striker Andy hoping his strike against Carrick on Saturday can give gaffer food for thought
STRIKER Andy Waterworth admits he’s had to be patient – but is hoping his performance against Carrick Rangers helped nudge him up David Healy’s pecking order.
The 33-year-old has spent most of the season on the bench but got his chance on Saturday with new boy Shayne Lavery was out with a hamstring problem.
Waterworth didn’t disappoint as he shot the Blues into the lead before the break – rounding a superb move for his ninth goal of the campaign.
Kirk Millar laid on the second after the break, whipping in a great ball from the left that was headed home at the back post by Mark Stafford.
“Everyone knows, when players are not playing, they are not happy – I’m no different,” said Waterworth. “I’ve been fortunate because over the past seven years or so, I’ve been playing 30 or 40 games a season. But I’ve always known that at this club, there will be someone ready to take my shirt.
“Number nine is a hard position to play because there is always a pressure to score goals. It’s especially difficult at Linfield. Shayne [Lavery] has been tremendous since he arrived in the summer.
“Once you step on to the pitch, you have to perform and score goals. There is always pressure and there always will be. I enjoy it.
“Ask any number nine, they relish that pressure, otherwise they wouldn’t be playing in that position.” Waterworth, whose goal helped keep Linfield in the thick of the title pack, is now hoping he did enough to retain the shirt.
“It’s been a stop-start season for me,” he said. “It started so well when I broke the club’s European scoring record in the summer, but I’ve found myself out of the team, probably through Shayne excellent performances, rather than me playing poorly.
“It’s part and parcel of the game. I’m certainly not happy when I’m not playing, but I have to take it on the chin. That’s why it’s important I take the chance when it arrives.”
Carrick Ranges manager Niall Currie was thrilled with his team’s gutsy performance against David Healy’s (inset) champions.
He said: “Linfield are a top team and our boys were out on their feet at the end, which is understandable. I couldn’t have asked for any more.
“It can be a difficult afternoon for a lot of teams coming to Windsor Park, especially when you are one of the bottom two or three clubs.”
“My only disappointment was we needed to take little bit more care on the ball, we moved the ball far too quickly at times for my liking.
“But this is a performance we can build on.”
Linfield stay fourth in the table, five points off leaders Coleraine but crucially with two games in hand.