COLERAINE were held to a 1-1 draw against Carrick Rangers that saw the Bannsiders pile the pressure on the resilient visitors for large parts of the game…
By: Charlie Cooke
Oran Kearney was forced to make wholesale changes to the Bannsiders starting eleven which saw Matthew Shevlin being replaced by David McDaid, Graham Kelly dropped out for Senan Devine, Andy Scott was replaced by Lee Lynch and Lyndon Kane returned at the expense of Jack O’Mahony.
The game didn’t have to wait long for the first goal to arrive as with four minutes on the clock the visitors made 1-0 through Reece Glendinning’s spectacular free-kick. The defender’s long-range effort saw the ball evade the diving reach of Gareth Deane in the Coleraine goal as it nestled into the top corner.
With 10 minutes played, Conor McKendry’s cross was just behind David McDaid who couldn’t force his header on target as the ball went wide of the goal. Soon after, McKendry’s quick foot work meant that he created himself enough room to shoot from just inside the penalty area, but his shot failed to land beneath the crossbar.
McKendry was beginning to cause havoc in attacking as just before the half hour mark, he sent a volley from the edge of the box just wide after being found by Jamie Glackin.
However, at the other end, Deane would be called into action twice to thwart the visitors as he made a diving save to palm away Andrew Mitchell’s long-range effort, before somehow denying Cameron Stewart from close range from the resulting corner kick.
The last action of the half saw substitute Aaron Jarvis force Ross Glendinning to palm the ball away after his well hit shot from outside the box was on target.
Coleraine decided to bring on Lee Harkin and Andrew Mitchell at the start of the second-half and the former would combine with Glackin to tee up McKendry. The winger made inroads into the Carrick penalty box but his shot hit the side netting with 57 minutes on the clock
Two minutes later, McKendry’s right sided corner met the head of Kieran Farren but the defender was unable to keep his attempt on target. A matter of minutes later, Harkin dribbled in from the left wing and saw his shot sail high and wide of the goal.
As we entered the last 20 minutes of the game Lyndon Kane’s sliced cross from just outside the box on the right wing was almost deflected by way of Cameron Stewart into his own net as it struck the post.
With 78 minutes played, a solo run from McDaid ended in the opposition’s box as his low driven shot forced Ross Glendinning into a save from close range. However, the marksman would go one better a minute later as he was on hand to convert from close range from McKendry’s cross.
The last action of the game saw the Bannsiders have a goal disallowed after Andrew Mitchell won the ball following an aerial challenge in the box and slotted the ball calmly into the net.
After that slightly disappointing result considering the second-half performance from the Bannsiders, we now turn our attention away to Glenavon next weekend in the Sports Direct Premiership.
COLERAINE: Deane, Kane, D. Jarvis, McKendry, McDaid, Carson (A. Jarvis ‘38 mins), Farren, Lynch, Glackin, Wallace (Mitchell ‘46 mins), Devine (McLaughlin ‘46 mins).
Subs Not Used: Gallagher (GK), O’Mahony, McCrudden, Gaston.
CARRICK RANGERS: Glendinning, Forsythe, Stewart, Mitchell (Andrews ‘55 mins), Maciulaitis, MacKinnon, Crowe (Surgenor ‘80 mins), Cherry, Glendinning (Gordon ‘51 mins), Purkis (McGuckin ‘80 mins), Tilney.
Subs Not Used: McCauley (GK), Watson, Allen.
Referee: Steven Gregg