Down Memory Lane

WITH the on-going help of club historian Hunter McClelland, colerainefc.com brings you the latest instalment of the ‘Down Memory Lane’ series as Rory Patterson helped himself to four goals in a 5-2 win against Crusaders in January 2010…

Date:

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Result:

Crusaders 2-5 Coleraine

Goals – Collins (’39 mins), Morrow (’70 mins); Patterson (’36 mins, ’54 mins, ’57 mins, ’90 mins),  Boyce (’60 mins)

Coleraine celebration.
/photo:Derek Simpson

Report:

FOR the second time this season, Coleraine inflicted a crushing defeat on Carling Premiership leaders Crusaders, with four goals from Rory Patterson and one from Darren Boyce sealing the Bannsiders’ sensational victory.

The game started in surreal fashion as Patterson failed to appear with his team mates for the start of the match, eventually arriving on the field a good minute or so after the game had got underway. He was always going to dominate the headlines, given the morning papers had broken news of his signing a pre-contract with Glentoran and his late arrival did nothing to distract attention away from him.

Coleraine took a while to adapt to the controversial 4G pitch at Seaview, with a few players losing their footing several times in the early stages, but still managed to create a couple of chances, firstly when Boyce picked up the ball on the left and cut inside to shoot, only for Keenan in the Crusaders goal to get behind it and save. Then Gareth Harkin won the ball inside his own half and embarked on a mazy run deep into the opposition half, but when his path to goal was blocked, he elected to pass rather than try a shot and the move broke down.

The hosts had a few chances of their own, with O’Hare saving a free kick from McKeown and tipping a tricky cross cum shot from McMaster onto the post before it was cleared to safety. Then when O’Hare was caught off his line having only half cleared the ball, Gareth Harkin was on hand to superbly head the ball clear off the line. A great run down the left from Carson gave him space to hit in an inviting cross for Patterson, who looked certain to score, but from close range he hit the post and it rebounded to safety.

But he wasn’t to be denied for long as he opened the scoring for Coleraine after 35 minutes. Carson tapped a free kick sideways to him and the Bannsiders’ top scorer unleashed an unstoppable right foot shot into the top corner. There was little sign of a celebration from Patterson, although his gestures towards the travelling support did leave a rather sour taste in the mouth. Coleraine’s lead was short lived however, as three minutes later Crusaders got a goal of their own. From Coleraine’s point of view it was a very poor goal to concede as Mukendi headed away McMaster’s cross and it fell to Collins on the edge of the box and his stooping header somehow crept past O’Hare at his near post.

That’s how it stayed until ten minutes after the break when Keenan attempted to gather a cross from Boyce, but spilled it and as Gareth Tommons raced to take on the loose ball; Keenan inexplicably dived in behind him and took his legs from under him. It was a clear penalty and Patterson stepped up and buried it into the bottom right corner. Three minutes later Coleraine had another penalty as Tommons was again fouled. This time he collected Tommy McCallion’s intelligent through ball and took it into the box where he was felled by a clumsy challenge from David Bell. Patterson once again took responsibility and put it in almost exactly the same spot for his hat trick.

Two minutes later it was 4-1 as Darren Boyce joined his strike partner on the scoresheet with a fantastic individual goal. He picked up the ball inside the Crusaders half and cut inside from the right wing, skinning Crusaders centre back Davy Magowan before rolling the ball through Keenan’s legs and into the net. Needless to say, his trademark celebration went down well with the sizable travelling support.

Crusaders pulled one back in the 70th minute as Chris Morrow controlled Collins’ through pass before finding the net. The home side began to commit more players forward and Coleraine’s defence withstood a lot of pressure well, despite the disruption of losing Howard Beverland to injury before the second Crusaders goal. The centre of defence was marshalled superbly by McVey and Mukendi, who dominated in the aerial challenges and the midfield dug deep to support the back four and ensured Crusaders were limited to launching balls into the box, the majority of which were dealt with by O’Hare, McVey or Mukendi.

In injury time, Patterson added another, latching on to McCallion’s through ball and although he had support from McVey and Gibson in the middle, took it on himself and completed a miserable afternoon for Crusaders by shooting across Keenan for the fifth goal.

Line-ups:

CRUSADERS: Keenan, McKeown, Bell (Arthurs ’56 mins), Black (McCann ’46 mins), Magowan, Coates, Morrow, Collins, McMaster (Magee ’80 mins), Owens, Donnelly.

Subs Not Used: Doherty, Hogg.

COLERAINE: O’Hare, Beverland (Canning ’64 mins), Hegarty, McVey, Boyce, Patterson, McCallion, Carson, Mukendi, Tommons, Harkin (Gibson ’83 mins).

Subs Not Used: Neill, McLaughlin, Tolan.

Referee:

Brian Turkington