Strike Force

COLERAINE boss Oran Kearney was pleased to see his two strikers find the back of the net as the Bannsiders moved up to third in the Danske Bank Premiership standings…

The Stripes would score a goal in each half as Matthew Shevlin nodded home from Jamie Glackin’s cross on 32 minutes before the striker turned provider as he laid the ball on a plate for Cathair Friel to dispatch from close range.

The victory marked a fourth successive 2-0 win at The Showgrounds for Coleraine and Kearney joked he would happy for that trend to continue.

“It’s a theme I’d be more than happy to continue for the rest of the season,” he told Coleraine TV.

“Big credit to the players because you always worry having played in midweek and a game more than Dungannon, that they would be more fresh and they should that for big parts of it.

“They tried to get on the ball, they were really busy and for us, it was about making sure we had enough left to get the victory in the bag.

“I thought first-half we were a bit sloppy, but in the second-half we really came on strong, shut up shop and still looked dangerous when attacking.”

Shevlin took his goal tally for the season to 13 but it was Friel who came in for post-match praise as Kearney outlined that the Limavady man has worked hard to force his way into the starting eleven.

The manager also reflected that the ex-Ballymena ace has been “sore on himself” in terms of not finding the back of the net.

“Clean sheets are great, goals are great but when your two strikers are scoring, it is even better,” he continued.

“Shevy keeps doing what he is doing. It is great play between Lyndon and Glacks and a quality ball into the box but he still has a bit of work to do on it.

“He then turns provider for Bushy’s goal and he is a player who has came in and worked tremendously hard in the last few months.

“He’s got weight off, he’s got himself into an area now where he can compete and get in this team, but he’s sore on himself because he wants to score more goals.

“However, that’s the type of goals he scores in this league as he’s a predator and he’s good both aerially and in the ground when in the box.

“It will be a relief for him more than anything else because we haven’t been putting that strain on him – more himself.”

The Stripes face Larne at The Showgrounds on Friday night and Kearney has called on the Coleraine faithful to provide an electric atmosphere against Tiernan Lynch’s side.

“The Larne game is the only one we concern ourselves on,” he concluded.

“Friday night is going to be tough and it was a great game up there when we played them earlier in the season and Larne edged it that night.

“We know the levels we are going to have to get too on Friday and we look forward trying to do that.

“The fans are big on a night like that.

“We had a good crowd in today, it was good to hear the drum being played and it’s so important at home.

“When you look back to the levels we have hit in previous years, the crowd and the cauldron atmosphere has been so important and it’s something coming back from COVID that we’ve missed.

“It is great to hear that level of noise again and fingers crossed on Friday night they can bring it big time.”