'Exciting' to be a part of title race admits Ruaidhri Higgins

Coleraine travel to Stangmore Park on Saturday, hoping to keep the pressure on league leaders Larne and retain the buffer zone between themselves and the rest of the chasing pack.

The Bannsiders go into the weekend three points behind the long-time pacesetters, having played the same amount of games, and three ahead of third-placed Linfield, who also have played 30 games.

Further back in fourth are Glentoran on 56 points from their 28 games played.

Not much margin for error, then, as Ruaidhri Higgins and his players visit the Red Hand County.

"I'm sure there was a time when there was maybe two or three clubs going at it, there was definitely two teams going at it," Higgins said in his weekly press conference.

"Maybe there was a point when there was three teams going at it.

"I don't remember within many leagues, you don't really see where four teams have a chance of winning it, but I think it's absolutely brilliant.

"It's no surprise to me that Linfield are right back in it: they have a manager and players that have been there and done it.

"Larne – they've been there and done it in recent seasons and have good continuity while Declan (Devine) has been at Glentoran now, maybe two and a half years, so there's continuity there also.

"The fact that we're such a new group, it's nice and exciting to be a part of it, and I think we've put ourselves in a position now where we're winning games in different ways which is really pleasing.

"We know that if it's a battle we can win that way now; if it's a football game we can win that way.

"Whatever the games throw at us I'd back our players to put in a committed performance," he added.

All that and more will be required this weekend against a Dungannon Swifts side in the throes of an unusually disappointing run of form - just one win in their last five league games.

Coleraine, in contrast, are in a rich vein of form with four wins and a draw in the corresponding number of games and with a hard-earned derby win over Ballymena United still fresh in their minds.

They have won the two previous games against the Swifts, both at the Showgrounds, and boast a long unbeaten league record against Saturday's opponents on their own patch.

But that will count for little come 3pm: as ever, it's about what happens on the day.

But, as the Bannsiders boss admits himself, this current Coleraine team has developed a happy knack of finding ways to get positive results and they are backed to get the job against Rodney McAree's men.

Elsewhere this weekend, Larne face Ballymena United - in need of points to move away from the relegation play-off place - at the Warden Street Showgrounds, again on Saturday.

Glentoran will be fancied to pick up maximum points at home to troubled Crusaders while Linfield will be wary of a Cliftonville side on the end of a heavy defeat to the Glens last time out when they meet at Solitude on Sunday.

The remaining games sees Glenavon host Portadown in a derby game at Mourneview Park while in-form Carrick Rangers should prove too strong for misfiring Bangor at Taylors Avenue.