Andy Waterworth advice helped me break my Linfield duck, reveals thrilled Matthew Fitzpatrick

Matthew Fitzpatrick

Linfield’s Matthew Fitzpatrick has revealed he took a little bit of advice from talisman Blues striker Andrew Waterworth to help solve his goal drought.

The 28-year-old, signed from Glenavon in a big-money deal over the summer, responded by bagging a beauty in Tuesday night’s impressive 2-0 win over Crusaders at Windsor Park – a result that took the Blues three points clear at the top of the Sports Direct Premiership table.

It was a commanding performance from David Healy’s men – they out fought and out thought Stephen Baxter’s side and really should have run out more convincing winners.

Joel Cooper opened the scoring with a sizzler early on, but it was Fitzpatrick who raised the roof by heading in a sublime cross from Cooper midway through the half. Little wonder he ran to the little wing magician to celebrate.

Fitzpatrick is hoping that is him now up in running in the scoring stakes.

“It was a frustrating start for me,” said the former GAA man.

“Obviously I'm coming from part-time football into a full-time environment, I picked up a couple of niggly injuries early on and missed a couple of games at the start of the season.

“Then I rushed back and suffered the same injury again (thigh quad), so I've learned a lot in a couple of weeks. I sustained the injury prior to one of our European games against Pogon, I didn't play in that game and missed a couple after that.

“I thought I knew better than the physio and rushed back. I came back and played against Glenavon but it was too early and I broke down again.

“It was just because I know there is competition for places and I wanted to be in the team. I wanted to be playing but it was naivety on my part, and it set me back probably four or five weeks.

“But