HEALY TURNS ATTENTION TO SHOWDOWN WITH COLERAINE

Dundee United 1 Linfield 0

DAVID HEALY believes his team’s Irn Bru Scottish Challenge Cup exit is not a total disaster.

The Blues were dumped out in the most cruel of circumstances when sub Logan Chalmers grabbed a 95th-minute winner at Tannadice.

Goalkeeper Gareth Deane got his hand to keep out a Graham Taylor effort but Chalmers (above) gobbled up the rebound to settle it.

“I never like being beaten but my only consolation is that it wasn’t one of our domestic competitions we were knocked of,” claimed Healy.

“The local tournaments are a bit more important. That’s not to say we are not disappointed with this defeat. I think the best team lost on this occasion but you don’t always get what you deserve in football.”

Healy insists his boys will dust themselves down for another big test at Coleraine this Saturday.

“That will be our sixth game on the spin away from home,” he added. “It’s been tough going but the Coleraine match is now huge for us. They are sitting at the top of the league table for a reason.”

Crusaders’ 3-0 win over Cove Rangers was tinged with sadness after the sudden death of William Whiteside, father of club chairman Tommy. The game was stopped for 15 minutes while medics attended to the lifelong Crues supporter.

Goals from Michael Carvill, Jamie Glackin and Declan Caddell ensured the Crues would be in tomorrow’s quarter-final draw.