Last Time Out

ALEXANDER Gawne would prove to be the Coleraine super sub as he landed the vital blow the last time Coleraine and Cliftonville locked horns…

Date:

Monday, January 27, 2020

Result:

Coleraine 1-0 Cliftonville

Goals – Gawne (’72 mins)

Report:

COLERAINE moved to within two points of league leaders Crusaders thanks to a wonder strike from Alexander Gawne which ensured a 1-0 victory against Cliftonville at The Showgrounds.

In a game which presented little by way of chances, the youngster popped up with a decisive wonder strike in the second half which proved to the difference between the two sides.

The Bannsiders were unlucky not to forge ahead inside the opening five minutes as Jamie Glackin picked out James McLaughlin with a cross. However, the striker was unable to find the target with a header. At the other end, Conor McDermott called Chris Johns into action on 10 minutes with a looping drive. From the resulting corner, Coleraine launched the counter-attack as Ben Doherty raced up the pitch before whipping the ball into the box. Matthew Fitzpatrick leaped to beat the advancing Richard Brush in the air but the effort drifted over the crossbar.

In-form attacker Conor McMenamin looked to have put the Reds ahead on 19 minutes but his left-footed attempt from the edge of the area whistled wide. Paddy McLaughlin’s side seemed to grow into the game in-front of the Sky cameras as McMenamin flashed a header wide before the half hour mark.

The Bannsiders were dealt a blow on 34 minutes as influential midfielder Ben Doherty limped off with a suspected hamstring injury. After intercepting the ball, Doherty made a pass back to Chris Johns before immediately clutching the back of his leg on a cold night at The Showgrounds.

At the break, the scores remained deadlocked at 0-0. Both teams had chances but were unable to convert in the opening 45 minutes.

The opening chance of the second half fell to the visitors on 52 minutes. Some neat play from Michael McCrudden on the edge of the box presented an opportunity for Ruaidhri Donnelly but he fired his attempt straight down the throat of Chris Johns.

Moments later, Ian Parkhill looked to have sparked the Bannsiders to life. The winger beat Conor McDermott before dinking the ball to the back post beyond the clutches of Richard Brush but the effort trickled narrowly past the far post. The Ballymoney man was in the midst of the action once again before the hour mark as his drive from distance stung the palms of Brush in the Cliftonville goal.

Both managers opted for change on 61 minutes as they looked to get a cutting edge in attack. Coleraine introduced Alexander Gawne upfront in place of Matthew Fitzpatrick whilst Cliftonville’s County Antrim Shield hero Ryan Curran entered the fray for the Reds to replace the lively McMenamin.

As the snow fell, Coleraine looked to have carved out an opening as Gawne teed up Lyndon Kane but his effort was blocked. Coleraine’s persistence paid off as second-half substitute Alexander Gawne grabbed the lead for the home side. The youngster unleashed a drive from the edge of the area on 72 minutes which left Richard Brush beaten all ends up as the ball sailed into the top corner.

Cliftonville looked for a response as McDermott tried his luck with a free-kick from the edge of the box. However, Chris Johns proved equal to the effort as he dived low to his right to gather the ball. Paddy McLaughlin’s side threw everything at the Bannsiders in the closing stages but were unable to unlock the Coleraine defence in the end.

Line-ups:

COLERAINE: Johns, Kane, Mullan, Canning, Doherty (Parkhill ‘34 mins), Lowry, McLaughlin, Carson (O’Donnell ‘75 mins), Glackin, Traynor, Fitzpatrick (Gawne ‘61 mins).

Subs Not Used: Gallagher (GK), Douglas, Nevin, Brennan.

CLIFTONVILLE: Brush, McDermott, Ives, Harney, R. Donnelly, McCrudden (Maguire ‘73mins), Bagnall (Harkin ‘83 mins), Doherty, Gormley, MeMenamin (Curran ‘61 mins ), A. Donnelly.

Subs Not Used: Dunne (GK), Foster, Rocks, McCurry.

Referee:

Tim Marshall

Highlights:

HERE