Gary Haveron is not talking like a manager protecting a first-leg draw. Larne came away from a 0-0 at Inver Park against Saburtalo, and Haveron’s view is simple enough, they created the better chances and can still turn the tie around in Tbilisi next week.
Haveron's message after the first leg
“I can't wait for the game to come,” Haveron said. “We're going into their back yard and if we're going to do it we're going to have to do it the hard way.”
He was just as direct about the first leg. “I thought in the first half we were excellent. We probably created all the clearcut chances in the game,” he said.
That is the important bit. Larne did not leave the first leg chasing a performance they never produced. They left with a clean sheet, a goalless draw, and a manager who thinks the better openings were theirs.
The job in Tbilisi
The return leg is next week in Tbilisi, and Haveron’s confidence has to be judged against what Larne have been doing more broadly. Their last five listed matches include two wins, one draw and two losses, with 4 goals scored and 10 conceded.
That does not scream certainty. It does explain why Haveron is leaning on belief rather than comfort. The attacking return has been modest, and the defensive numbers show there is work to do if they are to make the away leg count.
The other strand to this story is the opposition naming. Some reporting has referred to Saburtalo, while other coverage has used FC Iberia 1999. What is not in doubt is the venue, the 0-0 first leg, and the fact that Larne still have a live tie heading into Georgia.
Haveron has chosen the more useful line for a team in that position. He is not pretending the away trip will be easy, but he is not accepting that the first leg left the door shut either. If Larne repeat the chance quality he says they showed in Belfast, they still have a real route through in Tbilisi.
Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →
