Last Time Out

THE points would be shared when Coleraine and Larne squared off at the end of March…

Date:

Saturday, March 25, 2023

Result:

Coleraine 0-0 Larne

Report:

GARETH Deane’s stoppage time heroics meant the points were shared in our final outing before the post-split schedule commences.

After a quiet start to the game, the first piece of meaningful action occurred in the 6th minute. Dean Jarvis showed some quick feet to get himself out of a tight spot before playing the ball forward to Matthew Shevlin, the striker done superbly well by holding the ball up before releasing Conor McKendry, unfortunately Coleraine’s number 7 dragged his shot well wide after such a promising move.

Coleraine had another scoring opportunity in the 16th minute. After a good spell of possession, Jamie Glackin found Andrew Scott on the left hand side, the wideman skipped past Tomas Cosgrove’s challenge before laying the ball off to Aaron Jarvis on the edge of the box. However, the midfielder struck his effort well but not with any placement making it a comfortable save for Larne ‘keeper Rohan Ferguson.

The visitors’ first attempt on goal came in the 20th minute after Cian Bolger carried the ball forward before finding Andrew Ryan 30 yards from goal. The Scotsman played a neat one-two with forward Lee Bonis before producing a well struck left-footed effort forcing Gareth Deane to make a smart stop that resulted with a corner for the visiting side.

The next goal scoring opportunity came in the 38th minute. Some smart thinking by Glackin caught the Larne players out by passing a quick free-kick through to Dean Jarvis just inside the penalty area. Unfortunately, the fullback’s effort was straight at Ferguson.

Despite there not being many chances, the Bannsiders were creating the best ones with the next one coming right at the end of the half. After a long ball forward to Shevlin, Glackin picked up the pieces and did excellently by turning his man before heading towards the Larne goal. Surrounded by three Larne player,s it was Shaun Want who brought him to the floor, receiving the first yellow card of the game in the process. McKendry’s resulting free-kick went narrowly wide concluding a first half that contained very little goal threatening actions.

The visitors started the second half sharply and more or less had full control of the ball possession in the opening period. Despite Deane not having to make any saves in this 15 minute spell Larne’s control of the game was clear to see.

However, in the 56th minute, the visitors went very close to opening the scoring. Leroy Millar’s cross from the left hand side sat in the air before falling almost perfectly for Joseph Thompson. The midfielder struck an incredible volley forcing Deane into making a world-class save to prevent Larne from opening the scoring.

The game was starting to pick up some hostility with several collisions occurring, resulting in Aaron Jarvis receiving a straight red card in the 65th minute after the midfielder was adjudged to have leaned his head forward towards Larne defender Micheal Glynn.

As a result, the visitors would continue their dominance in the last 10 minutes with large spells of possession, sustained attacks and crosses into the box. Moreover, Larne went very close to breaking the deadlock in the 87th minute after an excellent cross into the box by substitute Thomas Maguire found Bonis two yards from goal with a free header. Fortunately for the Bannsiders, the forward headed his effort into the ground and over the crossbar.

Larne put Coleraine under huge pressure in stoppage time, going close to scoring on three separate occasions. Firstly, Bonis had another headed effort that went over the crossbar and substitute Shea Gordon’s attempt went just wide of Deane’s post right at the death. However, the biggest chance was that of Thomas Maguire’s after the wideman struck an incredible half volley that forced Deane into yet another world-class save and making him a clear man of the match.

Line-ups:

COLERAINE: Deane, Kane, D. Jarvis, A. Jarvis, McKendry (Fyfe ’62 mins), O’Donnell, Glackin, O’Mahony, McDermott (Carson ’62 mins), Shevlin, Scott.

Subs Not Used: Gallagher (GK), Mullan, McCrudden, Lynch, Carlin.

LARNE: Ferguson, Want (Maguire ’83 mins), Kelly, Sule (Gordon ’90 mins), Bonis, Bolger, Thomson (Randall ’70 mins), Millar, Glynn (Kearns ’83 mins), Cosgrove, Ryan.

Subs Not Used: Pardington (GK), Watson.

Referee:

Shane Andrews

Highlights:

HERE