FOOTBALL: Patterson grabs 40th goal in win over Glenavon

RORY Patterson's 40th goal of the season earned Coleraine a battling win at the Showgrounds last night.

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Glenavon brought a small support to the Showgrounds – hardly surprising given the long distance from Lurgan to Coleraine and especially given their recent form.

Sixteen defeats in their previous 23 league games has not been good enough for Marty Quinn's side; only for their excellent start to the season which saw them top the league this would have been relegation form.

For Quinn's old side Coleraine, their recent form has been hit and miss too. They went into the game missing Stephen Dooley, Marc Mukendi, Stephen Watt and Stephen Carson – such were the injury problems for Davy Platt's side that they were only able to name four substitutes.

The visitors enjoyed the early domination with makeshift striker Eamon Murray playing a central role. He had his first chance on six minutes when he headed over a Mark Haughey cross, then a further six minutes later he cracked a shot from 20 yards straight at Davy O'Hare.

Murray could have done better with his third chance of the game when he headed wide a Stuart King cross when he might have been better advised to control and shoot at goal.

Coleraine's first chance of the half came on 27 minutes when Rory Patterson played in strike partner Darren Boyce only for his attempted shot to be blocked by Hugh Davey.

Glenavon's domination continued, however, and Murray was still unable to find the net. First he missed a low effort at O'Hare after Magee had played him through and he was really unfortunate not to break the deadlock when King latched onto a Brendan Shannon shot and found Murray, only for a defender to turn the chance away for a corner.

Four minutes from the break Boyce had another chance for the home team when he headed directly to Andrew Plummer from Gareth Harkin's ball.

Patterson's 40th of the season came on 54 minutes, and what a strike it was. Capitalising on a defensive mistake 25 yards from goal he controlled and hit a dipping volley over the top of the diving Glenavon goalkeeper. What a way to mark such a milestone goal.

Glenavon pushed for the equaliser and King was unlucky on the hour mark to see his cross come shot saved, then he linked well with Molloy to get through on goal shortly afterwards but opted to pull the ball across goal instead of shooting, only for it to be cleared.

The Bannsiders should have doubled their lead on 72 minutes when Patterson found Harkin all on his own in the box, but his header went over the bar.

There was almost a dramatic late equaliser when Glenavon substitute James Costello did well to hold onto the ball inside the box, but his shot flashed across goal and wide.

COLERAINE: O'Hare, Beverland, McVey, McLaughlin, Boyce, Patterson, McCallion, Tommons, Harkin, Canning, Lowry. Subs: Hegarty (Boyce 85), Boylan (Tommans 90+2), Millar (Lowry 70), McCormick.

GLENAVON: Plummer, Shannon, Magee, Walsh, Molloy, King, Murray, Haughey, McDonagh, Davey, Harpur. Subs: Harper, Carvill, Costello (Davey 77), Liggett, Gracey.

REFEREE: Mark Courtney (Dungannon).