Bannsiders pay the penalty

AS the Bannsiders prepare to kick-start their pre-season schedule against Stranraer tomorrow afternoon, colerainefc.com recaps the previous meeting between the two sides at Stair Park…

Date:

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Result:

Stranraer 1-1 Coleraine (5-4 pens)

Goals – Agnew (’64 mins); Jennings (’31 mins)

Report:

In what was a repeat of last year’s final, which Coleraine had won 4-3, the Bannsiders got off to a strong start, with recent signing Darren McCauley, playing in an unfamiliar striking role
alongside Shane Jennings, crossing for his partner, who saw a header saved.

McCauley was forced off with an injury after only 15 minutes, meaning Stephen Lowry moved up front and Peter Spratt slotted into the midfield.

Played in windy conditions the game settled into a pattern with Coleraine largely dominant, but unable to assert that dominance on the scoresheet.

Then on the half hour, a curling free kick from Ryan McIlmoyle was spilled behind by Stranraer goalkeeper Marshall. McIlmoyle took the resulting corner and picked out Shane Jennings who headed in from six yards out. Spratt was denied by Marshall five minutes afterwards and then Jennings could have doubled his tally when he headed Lowry’s cross wide.

Stranraer’s first chance came just before the break as Devine’s free kick from the right was headed goalwards by Moore, but Michael Doherty in the Coleraine goal was equal to it and then helped start a quick counter-attack which finished with a McIlmoyle effort being saved.

Coleraine started stronger after the break too, with Jennings crossing for Ryan Doherty, whose header was saved by Marshall. The hour mark saw Curtis Allen introduced from the bench as one of three changes by Oran Kearney and he was involved straight away, breaking into the box where he looked to be brought down by Kennedy, but appeals for a penalty fell on deaf ears.

Four minutes later, the hosts levelled matters. McColm nicked the ball off David Ogilby and squared to Cochrane, who was denied by a great point-blank save from Doherty, only for Agnew to slot in the rebound.

Stranraer were enjoying their best spell of the game and McColm then beat the Coleraine offside trap, only to shoot well over the bar. Then on 77 minutes, Canning put Allen clean through on goal and as he shaped to shoot he was brought down by Marshall and this time the referee did award the penalty. Unfortunately Allen missed the target, sending the ball over the crossbar.

Jennings set up a chance for Clarke, but he shot wide across the goal and then Allen was inches away from making contact with Clarke’s low cross. In the dying minutes, Jennings was denied by Marshall from 25 yards out which ensured the game would be decided on penalties.

The shootout couldn’t have Coleraine as Damien McNulty stepped up to take the first kick and was denied by Marshall. Stranraer converted their first to take an early lead and maintained it through the next two rounds, with Allen and Lowry scoring to keep Coleraine in touch.

McIlmoyle converted Coleraine’s fourth penalty and they were right back in contention when Stranraer missed their next effort. Ogilby converted to put Coleraine in front for the first time, but Stranraer scored their fifth to take it into sudden death. There Peter Spratt saw his kick saved and a successful conversion by Stranraer meant they took the trophy.

But with the majority of the first team squad getting game time over the weekend, it will still have been a positive experience for Oran Kearney.

Line-ups:

STRANRAER: Marshall, Kane, Devine, Murphy, Kennedy, Aitken, Winter, Danny Mitchell, Moore, McColm, Noble.

Subs Used: Cochrane, Shepherd, Trialist, Agnew, David Mitchell

COLERAINE: M Doherty, Watt (Canning), Ogilby, McNulty, Vauls, R Doherty (Clarke), Lowry, Hegarty (Allen), McIlmoyle, Jennings, McCauley (Spratt).

Sub Not Used: Rodden

Referee:

Barry Cook