Strong second showing earns Coleraine points against Carrick

Three second half goals helped Coleraine to a come from behind win over Carrick Rangers at the Showgrounds on Saturday.

Behind at the break to Adam Lecky’s 28th minute goal, three second half goals from Charles Dunne, Jamie McGonigle and Dean Jarvis secured all three points for Ruaidhri Higgins’ side.

The visitors broke the deadlock just before the half hour thanks to Adam Lecky’s third goal of the season.

Coleraine goalkeeper Aidan Harris did well initially to palm away a goal bound header from Jimmy Callacher from a corner-kick but in the ensuing confusion the big striker reacted quickest to poke the ball over the line from a couple of yards.

Earlier, Danny Gibson was denied by the width of the crossbar when his header from a Joe Crowe free-kick rebounded off the wood work while Matthew Snoddy was denied by a smart stop by Harris.

The hosts created little in the opening 45 minutes, Matthew Shevlin sending his effort the wrong side of the post on the stroke of half-time.

They did level, however, early in the second period thanks to Charles Dunne’s second goal of the campaign.

A Levi Ives corner was headed back across goal by Cameron Stewart at the back post and there was his fellow defender to poke the ball over the line from close range.

They hit the front for the first time seven minutes from the end when second half subs Joel Cooper and Jamie Glackin combined.

Cooper did well to spot the run of the Dungiven man who showed great pace to break clear of the visitors’ defence before planting a low shot past Nathan Gartside.

And the points were secured a minute from full-time when another sub, Dean Jarvis, netted a third.

Will Patching did superbly well to run straight at a retreating Carrick defence before slipping the ball into the path of the left back who despatched his shot low into the far corner.

The win sees Ruaidhri Higgins' men leapfrog Larne at the top of the table by virtue of goal difference.

COLERAINE: Harris, Kane, Boyle, McGregor (Cooper ’56 mins), Patching, Shevlin, Ives, Glackin, (Doherty ’88 mins), Dunne, Stewart (Jarvis ’66 mins), Okoro (McGonigle ’56 mins).

Subs Not Used: Webb (GK), Long, McManus.

CARRICK RANGERS: Gartside, Burns, Callacher, Gibson, Lecky, McCullough, Steele, Crowe (McCawl ‘90+1 mins), Cherry (Clucas ‘90+1 mins), Snoddy (Heatley ’75 mins), McKay.

Subs Not Used: Pengelly (GK), Waide, Buchanan-Rolleston, Glendinning.

Referee: Louise Thompson