RUAIDHRI Higgins says he and the players can’t wait to return to The Showgrounds as the Bannsiders face Glentoran this evening…

You have to go back to August 19 – 31 days to be exact – since Coleraine last played a Premiership fixture on home soil.

That gap is set to end tonight as a bumper crowd descends on the Ballycastle Road – much to Higgins’ excitement.

He said: “We’re looking forward to, I hope, a sell-out.

“I hope it’s a sell-out. I can’t see why it wouldn’t be. It’s a brilliant game.

“They whet the appetite. Hopefully, this place is bouncing. We know they’ll bring a really good away following as well.

“They’re a big club. Let’s see. May the best team win.

“As I said, I think both teams will have a real go at it. Hopefully, we can do everything in our power to pick up another big three points.”

Glentoran currently top the Premiership table after remaining unbeaten from their seven Premiership assignments to date.

With that in mind, Higgins is expecting a difficult encounter against the Glens, managed by his friend Declan Devine.

“I think they’ll be high energy….Declan’s teams always press really high,” he continued.

“They’ll certainly have a go. There’s no doubt about that, which we’re looking forward to, because we’ll have a go as well.

“Wait to see you now after saying that it’ll be a bore fest, but no, listen, I think we want to continue playing in the way that we’re playing and playing with the confidence that we’re playing with.

“I think, yes, we’ve played some good stuff, but the players are working extremely hard out of possession as well.

“We’re more than capable of doing both sides of the game, so we just need to keep driving standards and keep finding ways to win matches.”

A limited amount of tickets remain available for tonight’s game HERE.