COLERAINE made it three successive wins in the BOYLE Sports Premiership after a 4-1 triumph against Crusaders...

Ruaidhri Higgins kept faith with the same starting eleven that was victorious at Portadown and they made a blistering start at The Showgrounds as they netted three times in the opening ten minutes.

The first arrived with just 53 seconds on the clock when Matthew Shevlin's flicked header was picked up by Ben Wylie. The midfielder had the vision to knock the ball back onto an onrushing Senan Devine who successfully converted from close range.

On five minutes, Coleraine doubled their lead as Jay Henderson took centre stage. The visitors were guilty of giving the ball away inside their own half and the attacker did the rest as he picked the ball up, drove forward and expertly found the far corner.

Remarkably, the home support had a third to celebrate just three minutes later through another fine team move. This time a lung-busting run by Ben Doherty was found by Rob Slevin and the full-back's cross was headed into the net by Matthew Shevlin.

The Bannsiders were intent on keeping their foot on the gas and they threatened twice from distance as Aidan Wilson's attempt was held by Shea Callister, with the 'keeper then being called into action to save Will Patching's free-kick.

The last action of the half saw Coleraine go close yet again when neat play saw Wylie pick up space outside the box and his shot was gathered by Callister.

It didn't take long for Coleraine to find their groove after the restart as Devine added his second of the evening. A cross into the box wasn't defended by the Crues and the teenager swept a low effort into the far corner.

Higgins elected to make a triple change just before the hour mark as Adam Brooks was handed his debut, alongside Lewis McGregor and a return for Joel Cooper. 

Brooks nearly made an instant impact against his former club as Wylie's delivery from the left picked out the Scotsman but he was unable to guide his header into the net.

Any hopes of a fourth consecutive clean sheet were then extinguished as Crusaders netted a consolation goal on 83 minutes. It would prove to be a special moment for 15-year-old Michael Mulholland as he got on the end of Owen Wardell's cross to dispatch beyond Lewis Webb.

Coleraine, and in particular Joel Cooper, did everything to find a fifth as the attacker saw two shots fizz off target as the Bannsiders ran out 5-1 winners.

COLERAINE: Webb, Kane (Tonks '67 mins), Boyle (Cooper '57 mins), Patching, Shevlin (McGregor '57 mins), Wilson, Henderson, Slevin, Devine (Brooks '57 mins), Wylie, Doherty (Thomson '73 mins).

Subs Not Used: Robinson (GK), Stewart.

CRUSADERS: Callister, Forsythe, Kelly (Rough '66 mins), Blaney, Weir (Anderson '58 mins), Jewitt-White, Dunlop (Mulholland '78 mins), Doherty, Wardell, Reid (McKechnie '58 mins), McKay (Beattie '78 mins).

Subs Not Used: Brown (GK), Bond.

Referee: Steven Gregg