Jennings strike sees Coleraine grab a home win

COLERAINE shook off the unwanted tag of draw specialists thanks to a 1-0 win over Glentoran on Saturday.

The Bannsiders had drawn their last four games and always looked in control after Ballycastle man Shane Jennings’ early strike, but they couldn’t find that crucial second goal.

But Oran Kearney admitted afterwards that he almost didn’t want his charges to score again to force them into producing a professional, mature display to see the game out.

“It has been an agitated dressing room over the last few weeks but for all the right reasons,” Kearney told Times Sport after the game.

“Sadistically I nearly wanted it to be a 1-0 win today as I just wanted us to show that steely side to our game.

“The way we saw out the last five minutes with no real issues is a sign of progress.

“I’ve just said to the players to come through those four games and have those doubts in their mind then come out and play one of the big two and perform like that is pleasing and credit must go to the players.

“It’s a mindset more than anything and they produced a great reaction today.

“It was hard fought and as I’ve just said to the players we don’t win many 1-0 games, normally there’s always twists and turns in our games.

“It’s a pleasing day for us getting the clean sheet and then coming up with a good goal to win it.

“I’m pleased for the players because over the last four games although we haven’t lost any games, it has been as frustrating for them as it has been for me and everyone at the club.

“Today finally was more like us, particularly in the first half. To be fair to Glentoran they threw the kitchen sink at us in the second half, so it was nice for us to show that resilience and hold out for a good 1-0 win.

“We scored a good goal and could have scored more. That’s the trait of when we’re working hard and playing well we create chances and today that was apparent.

“On another day we probably could have scored a few more, but as long as we are creating I know we will put one away sooner rather than later.

“Curtis probably could have had a hat-trick today and Scully had one cleared off the line. We know we are getting near our best when we’re creating chances.

“And we have the players, like Shane showed, that if we create enough chances we can put them away.”

Kearney had special praise for scorer Jennings and defender Stewart McMullan, who excelled again.

“Stewart has waited all season for his chance,” said Kearney. “It came up last week and he grabbed it with both hands. I thought today was going to be a real acid test for him and thankfully he’s come through it with flying colours.

“He has a great attitude, he wants to learn and push on and he certainly has a big future with us.

“Fair play to big Shane it has been a hard task for him since May when he had his shoulder operation for all the rehab and hard work which he has put in meticulously it’s a nice reward for him today and I’m delighted for him.”

Howard Beverland, who captained the side on the day, was also delighted at how the players saw out the game.

“If that’s our bad spell out of the way then we’ll settle for four points from four games. The boys showed real character today and played with real intelligence and saw the game out very professionally,” Beverland told Times Sport.

““There was a real hunger in our performance and we dominated and it’s very pleasing to keep a clean sheet too.”

Glentoran boss Eddie Patterson though admitted his side lost the game due to a toothless first half display.

“I’m gutted about our first half performance as we didn’t perform at all. Coleraine deserved what they got in the first half, but we put it on a plate for them,” Patterson told Times Sport.

“We had the wrong attitude, we didn’t play the way we wanted to play. We worked on things on Thursday night and it didn’t materialise today.

“We changed our shape at half time and brought on a couple of players, our performance improved and I felt we were unlucky not to get anything out of the game.”

The Bannsiders started the game brightly and they should have edged in front on seven minutes after Stewart McMullan released Curtis Allen, but Elliott Morris blocked his shot.

A minute later the Bannsiders made the breakthrough. Shane Jennings crashed a header off the post from Joel Bradley’s cross, but the big striker reacted well to fire in the rebound for his first of the season.

It should have been two on 31 minutes as Jennings reed up Allen, but again Morris denied him with a block.

Glentoran nearly drew level with their first effort of the game on 39 minutes, but David Howland shot straight at Michael Doherty.

Allen should have doubled Coleraine’s lead on 54 minutes as he latched on to Jennings’ flick, but again Morris denied him.

Andy Waterworth almost brought his side level with six minutes to go, but his looping header clipped the bar with Doherty beaten.

While at the other end Allen went close again as he forced Nixon into a mistake, his pinned effort ended up on the wrong side of the post though.

Waterworth went close again in the last minute, but he somehow hooked the ball over the bar from close range.

Coleraine: Doherty, Watt, Colligan, Beverland, McMullan, Bradley (Hegarty 76), Harkin, Lowry, McIlmoyle, Allen, Jennings (Scullion 69).

Subs: Boyce, Boyd, Owens.

Glentoran: Morris, Ward, Hill, Magee, Nixon, M Clarke, Howland, McGuigan, Waterworth, O’Hanlon (Callacher 46), Murray (Carson 46).

Subs: R Clarke, Gibson, Gordon.

Referee: Raymond Hetherington.