Crusaders boss Stephen Baxter praises Paul Heatley as veteran scores stoppage time winner at Loughgall

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Crusaders stars Paul Heatley and Phil Lowry celebrate a late winner at Loughgall

Paul Heatley answered Stephen Baxter’s SOS call in the best possible way when he struck the late, late goal to give Crusaders a 2-1 victory at Loughgall.

Manager Stephen Baxter revealed that his talismanic winger was only fit enough to play a cameo role at Lakeview Park and ended up getting longer out of him that expected.

Heatley had been on the pitch for just 15 minutes – five minutes longer than Baxter anticipated he would play – when he brought the ball down beautifully on the edge of the box before cutting inside Loughgall goalkeeper Berraat Turker and fired into the net in the 93rd minute to claim full points.

“When you have someone like Paul Heatley who wasn’t fit to play and said he would give me 10 minutes and he goes on and gives you 10 minutes like that it’s not to bad, is it?” said Baxter.

“I told him to go home and rest for another week.

“He wasn’t fit to play and he comes on and gives you 10 minutes, Adam Lecky wasn’t fit to play and he gave me the last 10 or 15 minutes. That’s the mark of true professionals who go to the wire for you and try to get you over the line.

11th November 2023 Sportsdirect Premiership at Lakeview Loughgall Loughgall v Crusaders Loughgall’s James Carroll with Crusaders josh Robinson Mandatory Credit INPHO/Stephen Hamilton

“Paul produces that little bit of magic and little bit of quality that scores you the winning goal.”

Baxter was forced to ask Healtley and Lecky to give him as much time on the pitch as their state of fitness would allow after a head count that almost left him filling the bench with inexperienced youngsters.

“We were down to the bare bones. We have jimmy