Coleraine set to welcome Linfield to The Showgrounds

LEAGUE leaders Coleraine set to take on second-placed Linfield in a mouthwatering clash at The Showgrounds (KO 3pm)…

Due to international call-ups, the Bannsiders have had a short break since beating Ballymena United thanks to goals from Stephen O’Donnell and Jamie McGonigle. As for the visitors, they were also absent from league action last weekend as they fell to a late defeat against Dundee United in the Irn-Bru Cup.

The two sides have already met each other this season as Linfield took the spoils in the Charity Shield final at The Oval. Despite the Bannsiders taking the lead via Josh Carson, they were pegged back as Aaron Burns rifled home the equaliser, before two second-half strikes from Andrew Mitchell and Paul Smyth gave David Healy’s men the silverware.

Last season, very little separated the sides in league action as Coleraine were controversially denied all three points at Windsor Park in August 2016 in a 1-1 draw. It was the same scoreline in October as James McLaughlin’s second-half header gave the Bannsiders a share of the spoils at The Showgrounds. In January, Jordan Allan’s header was enough to secure a win in Belfast, before Linfield triumphed 5-1 on the Ballycastle Road as they closed in on the Gibson Cup. The Stripes were to fall short in the Irish Cup final as Andy Waterworth’s hat-trick sealed a deserved win for the Blues.

Coleraine manager Oran Kearney will be without the services of injured duo Lyndon Kane and James McLaughlin. Meanwhile, Josh Carson serves the second game of his three match suspension. The manager is expecting an ‘electric atmosphere’ at The Showgrounds and has challenged his players to keep up their good form.

“Saturday’s game will be a full house and it will be an electric atmosphere – it’ll be two good teams going at it and will be everything that’s good about Irish League football,” Kearney said.

“Those are the days you work for and those are the days you get excited about and I can’t wait until it arrives.

“There are lots of good teams in the league and Linfield are up there with the best. When Linfield come to town you know what they bring in terms of a level of quality and consistency.

“You need to be on your game from one to 11 to get something so we need to make sure we hit the heights we have in recent weeks in terms of performance.

“We know if we do that it gives us a chance of getting something from the game.”

Home supporters are reminded that they need a matchday card to enter the ground for tomorrow’s game. The Club Shop is open until 9pm tonight, as well as tomorrow for those who need one. The Club ask those who need a card to be at the ground early to avoid missing any of the action.

As ever, those unable to attend can follow the latest updates via the club’s official Twitter account (@ColeraineFC).