Last Time Out

IN our last home match of the 2019/20 season, first-half goals from Stewart Nixon and James McLaughlin sealed a 2-1 win against Glenavon at The Showgrounds…

Date:

Tuesday, March 3, 2020

Result:

Coleraine 2-1 Glenavon

Goals – Nixon (’12 mins), McLaughlin (’34 mins); McCloskey (’75 mins)

Report:

COLERAINE moved to within four points of leaders Linfield after grinding out a 2-1 win against Glenavon at The Showgrounds.

The Bannsiders made two changes to the side that beat Larne in the Irish Cup last Friday night as Stewart Nixon replaced Ian Parkhill, with Aaron Jarvis also returning to the heart of the midfield at the expense of Stephen O’Donnell.

Coleraine – who had won their previous seven fixtures in all competitions – should have taken the lead on five minutes as Lyndon Kane went on a mazy run and slipped the ball through to James McLaughlin, but the striker failed to find the target as he blazed over the target.

Four minutes later, the Glenavon high line would be breached once again as Nixon beat Doyle for pace and burst into the box but the ex-Carrick Rangers ace would be denied by a brilliant save from Jonathan Tuffey.

However, the Stripes’ early dominance would finally be rewarded on 12 minutes as McLaughlin held the ball up well to slip the ball through to Nixon. The lively attacker would go one-on-one with Tuffey and he calmly slotted the ball home for his first goal since arriving in the January transfer window.

Glenavon will feel they should have equalised with their first chance on goal as a strong run and cross from Conor McCloskey on the right-hand side found an unmarked Jordan Jenkins inside the box but he failed to capitalise from six yards.

The hosts would threaten again just after the half hour mark as Jarvis challenged for a header inside the area and the ball landed at the feet of Nixon who drilled a crisp half volley inches wide of the far post. Although, three minutes later, Coleraine did double their advantage as Nixon beat the offside trap and after he was thwarted in his attempts to round Tuffey, the 22-year-old picked out McLaughlin who finished with aplomb.

The goalkeeping heroics of Tuffey kept Glenavon in the game during the first-half as he later saved from Nixon and McLaughlin as Coleraine eyed a killer third goal before the break.

Glenavon would create the first opportunity of the second-half as a ball into the box landed at the feet of Colin Coates at the back post but he arrowed wide. At the other end, the Bannsiders somehow didn’t make it 3-0 as Jamie Glackin’s free-kick was headed across goal by Jarvis and Nixon couldn’t prod the ball over the line from close range.

Coleraine boss Oran Kearney brought on Curtis Allen and Matthew Fitzpatrick for some fresh legs but it would be Glenavon who would set-up a nervy finish as McCloskey’s 20-yard free-kick found the bottom corner on 75 minutes.

This sparked the visitors into life and they should have found a leveller three minutes later as the evergreen Jenkins crossed the ball into the box for Greg Moorhouse but the striker’s turn and finish failed to find the bottom corner.

After Allen went inches from getting onto the end of Fitzpatrick’s cross, the Bannsiders held on for an important three points.

Line-ups:

COLERAINE: Johns, Kane, Mullan, Canning, Jarvis (Fitzpatrick ’70 mins), Lowry, McLaughlin (Bradley ’80 mins), Carson, Glackin (Allen ’58 mins), Traynor, Nixon.

Subs Not Used: Gallagher (GK), Douglas, McConaghie, O’Donnell.

GLENAVON: Tuffey, Larmour (Garrett ’46 mins), Doyle (Birney ’46 mins), Harmon, Purkis, Singleton, McCloskey, Snoddy, Jenkins, Davidson (Moorhouse ’67 mins), Coates.

Subs Not Used: Burns, Byrne, Beggs, Farren.

Referee:

Jamie Robinson

Highlights:

HERE