Last Time Out

AARON Canning would land the decisive blow as Coleraine edged out Carrick Rangers at The Showgrounds back in March…

Date:

Saturday, March 20, 2021

Result:

Coleraine 1-0 Carrick Rangers

Goal – Canning (’77 mins)

Report:

COLERAINE responded to Linfield’s comeback win last night by maintaining their own unbeaten form at The Showgrounds today…

The Blues threw down the gauntlet after their Friday night success against Crusaders, but Oran Kearney’s troops responded by stretching their unbeaten run to 16 matches.

In doing so they maintain their record of not losing a game in which they have taken the lead…that particular record now standing at 14 wins with one draw.

But it was a nervy affair only settled by a crucial late winner.

It took a goal-line clearance from Steven Gordon to deny the home side a 10th minute lead as he somehow hooked James McLauglin’s drilled low cross over the top.

Despite losing key defender Chris Ramsey to injury in the opening stages – and arriving off the back of four successive defeats – Carrick showed plenty of grit and spirit and proved a tough nut to crack.

Coleraine huffed and puffed but struggled to create any real sights on goal during a frustrating first half in which ‘keeper Aaron Hogg was rarely tested.

Coleraine also survived strong appeals for a penalty three minutes before the break when Lee Chapman’s cross struck Stephen O’ Donnell’s arm but referee Evan Boyce deemed it accidental.

The previously shot shy Bannsiders did finally carve out an opportunity on 44 minutes but substitute Chris Rodgers threw himself to block McLaughlin’s shot after being played in by Stewart Nixon.

Stephen Lowry then sent Ben Doherty through in injury time but he flashed his shot past the far post.

The second half followed a similar pattern with Coleraine struggling to find the spark to unlock their well disciplined opponents.

They looked to have a strong case for a penalty on 68 minutes – moments after Daniel Kelly tried his luck from Kyle Cherry’s lay off – when Jamie Glackin appeared to be brought down inside the box but the appeals were waved aside.

With the tension mounting, Coleraine finally broke the deadlock from an unlikely source inside the final quarter of an hour.

It was Aaron Canning who smashed home in the 76th minute following a goalmouth scramble after skipper Stephen O’Donnell’s header rebounded off the crossbar.

The woodwork then denied Eoin Bradley ten minutes from time as Hogg pushed his shot against the bar after Lowry presented the striker with a chance.

Relief all round at the final whistle as Snowy’s crucial strike keeps Coleraine on the coat tails of Linfield ahead of Tuesday’s trip to Glenavon.

Line-ups:

COLERAINE: Deane, Kane, Canning, Doherty, Lowry, McLaughlin (Bradley ’46 mins), Carson, Tweed (Allen ’65 mins), O’Donnell, Parkhill, Nixon (Glackin ’46 mins).

Subs Not Used: Gallagher (GK), Jarvis, Beverland, Shevlin.

CARRICK RANGERS: Hogg, Loughran, Chapman, Kelly, Smith, Gordon, Cherry (Glendinning ’81 mins), Gibson, Anderson, Ramsey (Rodgers ’13 mins), Friel (McMullan ’70 mins).

Subs Not Used: Forsythe, Neale, Millar, Storey.

Referee:

Evan Boyce

Highlights:

HERE