Still a lot of football to be played insists Higgins

Victory for Larne against Linfield on Friday night would see the Inver Park men open up an 18 point gap on second placed Coleraine, with more than half the season gone.

For many, that would signify the end of the title race with the Inver Park men short-priced favourites to claim a third Gibson Cup in four years.

And while Coleraine head coach Ruaidhri Higgins accepts that an away win at Windsor Park would put Gary Haveron's side in a very strong position he insists his players must ensure they are in a position to challenge should Larne slip-up during the run-in.

"Larne are in an absolutely brilliant position and fair play to them," the Bannsiders boss said in his weekly press conference.

"Their points tally is through the roof, so credit to them, but, there's still a lot of football to be played.

"You have to say they have one hand on the trophy but football's a funny old game and we just need to focus on ourselves.

"We have a few games now at home and we need to try and put points on the board, that's the agenda," he added.

"You can look too deep into these things. We can't control what others do but what I would like is that we can put ourselves in a position that if they do slip at any point that we take advantage of it.

"You literally just have to try and pick up three points in your next game and what will be will be.

"If you look at our points tally we're not a million miles off two points a game. Normally when you're hitting in around two points a game you would like to think you're not a million miles away.

"But such is Larne's dominance and points return that we find ourselves with a fair gap to close - as do other clubs.

"We've still a lot to salvage, we still have a lot to play for this season and we just need to keep focused on winning matches in our league.

"We just need to try and put ourselves in a position where we at least make them earn it."

Next up for Coleraine is a repeat of last week's Irish Cup game against Crusaders, which the hosts won 4-0.

But that tells only part of the story: the north Belfast side were in the game following a goalless first half, the dismissal just after half-time of Brendan Hamilton contributing to a second half collapse.

Higgins says he and his players will be taking nothing for granted in Saturday's rematch.

"We haven't done anything as a team to disrespect anyone and we certainly won't disrespect Crusaders," he continued.

"If you look at their last league game they beat Dungannon, who were the in-form team in the league at that point along with Larne.

"At 0-0 in the cup game I think we were the team in the ascendancy but the sending off definitely had a big impact on the game.

"They had to try and come out a small bit after we scored so we were able to open them up.

"Saturday's going to be a completely different kettle of fish and there will no complacency from us.

"We'll give them the utmost respect, as they deserve, and we'll do everything to try and win the game.

"If we can approach the game properly, play in the way we want to play and we play how we've trained this week, then we give ourselves a good chance."