Down Memory Lane

CAPTAIN fantastic Stephen O’Donnell would save the day as his brace of headers would edge out Warrenpoint Town at Milltown.

Phew! Coleraine had to come from behind to claim maximum points and reclaim second spot in the table.

Things looked bleak for the Bannsiders when they fell behind with less than half an hour remaining.

But captain Stephen O’Donnell grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck – as Oran Kearney’s men showed their character – to strike twice to secure the points.

Marty Gallagher got his first start since February in place of the injured Gareth Deane and he was called into action after eight minutes to keep out Ryan Swan’s effort.

Recalled Stewart Nixon posed Coleraine’s first real threat when he cut inside from the right on 13 minutes but Gabriel Sava was down quickly to push his shot around the post.

Warrenpoint, resolute and disciplined, closed down the visitors quickly, restricting them to few clear openings.

Good play by Ronan Wilson set up Eoin Bradley after 21 minutes but the ball bobbled as he struck his shot and the ball sailed harmlessly over the crossbar.

Gallagher was called into action again after half an hour to deny Alan O’Sullivan after he fended off challenges from Lyndon Kane and Aaron Traynor to get his shot away.

The Bannsiders did have the ball in the net after 38 minutes when Evan Tweed lashed home but referee Shane Andrews correctly spotted Bradley had handled Jamie Glackin’s cross in the build up.

It was Gallagher who came to the rescue within sixty seconds of the restart after a slip by Stephen O’Donnell.

The ‘keeper did well to block O’Sullivan’s shot and Robert Hutchinson blasted the rebound off target.

Kane’s through ball after an hour released Nixon but his wild shot failed to trouble Sava.

Keelan Dillon delivered a hammer blow with a stunning strike after 63 minutes, smashing a shot from outside the area past a helpless Gallagher.

Coleraine’s response however was almost instant.

Skipper O’Donnell led by example, heading home Glackin’s corner three minutes after the Bannsiders fell behind.

The equaliser kicked the visitors into life and Stevie Lowry was inches away with his long range 69th minute drive.

It was that man O’Donnell who pounced again to put the Bannsiders in front ten minutes from time.

Glackin provided the cross, after his corner was punched out by Sava, and O’Donnell found the target with his second header of the evening.

Tweed had a chance to put the game beyond Town two minutes from time after an exchange of passes with Glackin but Sava made a great block.

Coleraine survived a late scare as Fra McCaffrey shot inches past the post but held on for a hard fought and valuable victory.

This was a ‘must win’ game and sets the scene for next week’s mouth watering double header with Glentoran.