Super second half seals the points for Coleraine

Coleraine closed the gap on league leaders Larne to eight points thanks to a stirring second half performance in a 5-1 victory over Crusaders at the Showgrounds on Saturday.

Trailing 1-0 at the break to Fraser Bryden's 36th minute goal, Ruaidhri Higgins' side swept their opponents away after the break to win comfortably.

Both teams passed up chances to open the scoring before the league's leading marksman Bryden broke the deadlock just after the half hour.

Finlay Thorndike was afforded time and space to deliver an inviting ball into the Coleraine penalty area where the Scot, arriving late, tucked the ball past Coleraine keeper Ryan Schofield from close range.

That was how it stayed until the interval during which the Bannsiders boss made two changes, introducing Dean Jarvis and Zane Okoro for Ben Wylie and Levi Ives, and they never looked back.

The hosts were level within a minute of the restart, Joel Cooper outstripping the visitors' defence before blasting a left foot shot high into the roof of the net past Crusaders goalkeeper Musa Nimaga.

At the other end, Coleraine keeper Ryan Schofield kept his side in the game moments later when he dived full length to his right to save Bryden's penalty and that gave Coleraine the impetus they needed.

Mark Connolly fired them in front for the first time just shy of the hour mark, stealing in at the back post to prod home Will Patching's corner, and the writing was on the wall for Declan Caddell's men.

Joel Cooper scored his second in the 65th minute, getting on the end of a Zane Okoro pass to finish, before Matthew Shevlin got in on the act just a minute later.

There was still time for man of the match Cooper to complete his hat-trick deep into added time when his left foot shot beat Nimaga with the aid of a deflection.

A good day, then, for the Ballycastle Road club who made it a hat-trick of league wins over their north Belfast opponents with this win.

Next up is a home game against Glenavon on Friday night.