Irish Premiership: Larne stay in touching distance before big break
One player keen for the extended break will be striker Matty Lusty, who limped off with what looked like a hamstring injury in the win against Carrick.
The 23-year-old has had a flying start to the season, scoring three goals in six league games and he will hope the break will reduce the amount of games he could be forced to sit out.
Lusty has linked up well with strike partner Paul O’Neill, providing an assist for the former Cliftonville man, who took home the match ball with a clinical hat-trick.
Those were his first three goals in the league this season but his and Lusty’s early season contributions have gone a long way in trying to plug the Andy Ryan shaped hole in the Larne team.
O’Neill is beginning to reap the rewards of regular gametime that was not as forthcoming when Ryan, who scored a hat-trick for Hamilton against Queen of the South on Saturday, was at the club.
His first goal was that of a forward playing with confidence as he shrugged off Jimmy Callacher, spun and curled an effort beyond the despairing dive of Nathan Gartside.
His second was more of a striker’s finish, poking home from Lusty’s unselfish pass, as was his third as he stabbed in at the back post to finish after Bent’s flick-on.
While he and Lusty have been guilty of spurning chances against the likes of Portadown and Cliftonville that could have given Larne even more comfortable victories and add more goals to add to their personal tallies, Haveron has been delighted with O’Neill’s start to the campaign in particular.
“Paul O’Neill has really grabbed that leading role in the frontline as an out-and-out number nine,” said Haveron
“He is such a willing worker, he has so much quality and his first goal is absolutely breathtaking.”
Two of the three goals Larne have conceded this season also came in that entertaining game against Carrick as goalkeeper Rohan Ferguson, on his 250th appearance, had a rare off day.
But their defensive strength combined with the variety of goalscorers they have had this season (not just Lusty and O’Neill) show that the defending champions are still a force to be reckoned with.
Having had the experience of being the hunted or the hunter for the past four seasons, they will have the confidence that they can claw back whatever deficit they find themselves facing in the coming months by doing what they have done so far this season, racking up wins, goals and clean sheets with ease.
