Belief always been in Linfield's heritage - Healy

Linfield boss David Healy has praised his players for their belief in coming back from 3-1 down at half-time to beat Dungannon Swifts 4-3.

Kirk Millar grabbed a dramatic winner four minutes into stoppage time.

"There was probably a bit of surprise among the players at half-time," Healy said.

• Linfield come back to win 4-3 and go top

"Surprise that we had somehow got ourselves into that position, but the players came out [in the second half] with a renewed positivity and we deservedly found a way to win the game.

"There are always times in a 38-match season where you have to show a bit of character, dig in and hopefully get the late winner, which we did."

He added: "We made individual and collective errors which cost us but we spoke, we made the changes, we adapted and got the goal straight after half-time.

"Then there's always the belief that not only in my time here but throughout Linfield's heritage and tradition - you don't win trophies unless you score late winners or late equalisers."

Kirk Millar is congratulated by Linfield team-mates after scoring his side's third goal

With the Swifts 3-1 up at the break at Windsor Park, youngster Rhys Annett's second goal reduced the deficit before the visitors had Knowles sent-off for a rash challenge.

Joel Cooper levelled on 86 minutes and then Millar grabbed that last-gasp winner.

While pleased with how his players reacted in the second half, Healy was critical of their performance up to that stage, and also had a warning about how difficult Linfield's upcoming fixtures are.

"We put ourselves in that predicament today with not just one lapse of concentration, maybe three minimum going in at half-time, which was disappointing," he continued.

"The team we put out today, even though it had plenty of experience, probably had a bit of naivety about the game.

"We've a lot of big games coming up. Larne are magnificently coached, they have brilliant players, they are well set up. Crusaders, Cliftonville, Glentoran after their result last week they can believe they are still well in the fight."

Swifts boss McAree proud of players' efforts

It was an 11th defeat in 20 league outings this season for Dungannon, who are in 10th place in the Premiership table, three points above bottom side Newry City.

Despite going in at half-time at Windsor with a surprise 3-1 lead, manager Rodney McAree described their first-half performance as their worst of the campaign.

"I thought we were poor in possession, we gave the ball away cheaply, we looked as if we had no shape about us," the former Glentoran boss said.

"I didn't know whether to have a pop at the players or give them a pat on the back. It was a case of we felt we could do better. We wanted to make sure we didn't concede a goal early in the second half and that's exactly what we did do.

"Coming to Linfield is hard enough but when you go down to 10 men it becomes extremely difficult. It gives Linfield more momentum and makes it more difficult for us to get up the pitch and we just couldn't see it out.

"I'm proud of the players' efforts and we can take a lot of positives - they dug deep for each other, they showed a togetherness and a willingness to try and get a result out of it for us, but unfortunately it hasn't happened for us."