Coleraine edge out Glebe Rangers

The Championship 2 outfit taking the lead wasn’t in the script, but that’s what happened with 15 minutes on the clock. The Coleraine defence was caught flat-footed and Doherty was well beaten by a strike from the visiting frontman.

Coleraine stepped up a gear in their efforts to equalise, with Allen going wide from outside the box, Lowry being denied by a smart save from and David Scullion seeing an effort headed off the line.

Coleraine’s pressure eventually paid off with former Derry City and Glentoran midfielder Martyn, playing his second game since the start of his trial period, slotting the ball home to level the scores, after good work by Scullion.

The second half saw Coleraine almost permanently encamped inside the Glebe half, with the defence putting in some impressive last-ditch tackles and blocks to deny their hosts a sight of goal. Coleraine did manage to put together some good passages of play, resulting in chances for Curtis Allen, who was unlucky not to have finished the night with a couple of goals, while club captain David Ogilby struck a thunderous free kick goalwards but was denied by an outstanding save.

Coleraine’s pressure eventually told near the end as Lowry powered the ball into the top corner from just inside the penalty area.

Team: Doherty, Harkin (Ogilby), Watt, McVey, McNulty, Hegarty, Martyn, Lowry, Owens (Gillan), Scullion, Allen.

Unused Sub: Cullen