Chris Johns (GK), Trai Hume, Jimmy Callacher (C), Sam Roscoe, Matthew Clarke, Chris Shields, Stephen Fallon, Kyle McClean (Joshua Archer 90’), Ahmed Salam, Kirk Millar, Christy Manzinga (Andrew Clarke 90’)
David Walsh (Gk), Ross Larkin, Martin Donnelly, Callum Marshall, Adam Carroll
Gareth Deane (GK), Lyndon Kane, Stephen O’Donnell (C), Rodney Brown, Aaron Traynor (Cathair Friel 79’), Aaron Jarvis (Eoin Bradley 57’), Stephen Lowry, Jamie Glackin, Conor McKendry, Patrick Kelly, Matthew Shevlin
Goals either side of the break from Christy Manzinga and Stephen Fallon saw Linfield come from behind to win at The Showgrounds in Coleraine this afternoon as manager David Healy reached the milestone of 200 wins as Linfield boss.
The Blues remain second in the table following Cliftonville’s win over Ballymena United this afternoon, so although nothing changes in that regard, it feels like a big three points away to a title challenger who seldom lose at home. It’s a first home defeat of the season for Coleraine who replaced their grass pitch with an artificial surface in the summer.
It was a lively game to entertain a couple of thousand spectators on a cold and windy afternoon in Coleraine. It took only two minutes before the first dangerous attempt as Ahmed Salam caught a 20 yard free-kick from the right sweetly to draw a good save from Coleraine ‘keeper Gareth Deane down low to his right.
Christy Manzinga was disappointed minutes later. The striker had done well initially to rob Rodney Brown of possession before bursting into the box and he was too hesitant when he should have put his foot through the ball and ultimately he lost custody of the ball. Soon after that, Kirk Millar fired not far over from 25 yards on his left foot.
Promising young Coleraine attacker Patrick Kelly threatened for Coleraine for the first after 10 minutes when he burst past Callacher in the box and when stood up by Shiels he worked half a yard to get a shot away which was saved by Johns.
Despite Linfield edging the opening exchanges, the Blues went behind after 23 minutes. Conor McKendry swung in an inviting corner delivery which was met by defender Rodney Brown who across the near post to glance a header into the net.
The Blues almost responded immediately as Christy Manzinga squeezed in a cross from the left which found Kyle McClean venturing into the box and he fired a shot across goal. A pity, as he deserved a goal. To come in and play 90 minutes at the level he did after only recently returning from a lengthy ACL injury was remarkable.
Coleraine also threatened to add a second when Linfield allowed Jamie Glackin too much time and space and he curled an effort from 20 yards wide of the far post.
The Blues did then draw level on 39 minutes with a deserved equaliser. Kirk Millar latched onto a loose ball before driving towards the edge of the box, cutting inside and unleashing a wicked strike with his weaker left foot. The ball swerved and dipped before hitting the crossbar with Deane beaten, however as all good strikers do, Christy Manzinga was following up to fire in the rebound from 10 yards out for his 15th goal of the season.
They nearly went ahead in the final moments of the half as Kirk Millar whipped in a cross which carried through to Matthew Clarke at the back of the box. The ball bounced at height and Clarke did superbly well to wrap his foot around it and volley the ball goalwards as Deane seemed concerned until the ball hit the roof of the net.
Half Time: Coleraine 1 – 1 Linfield
Three minutes into the second half Linfield took the lead with what would prove to be the winner and it left Coleraine feeling aggrieved. As the ball dropped down from a height, Bannsiders midfielder Stephen Lowry stuck his foot out but the referee was standing right beside him and there were claims that the ball struck the referee. In such case the game would have to have been stopped. However, the ball then fell for Stephen Fallon to skip away from Lowry and what can’t be doubted is that it was a great finish from Fallon to arrow a strike low into the bottom corner from 25 yards.
Coleraine boss Oran Kearney said his side lost their way for 20 minutes after that incident but they were soon back searching for an equaliser as Matthew Shevlin went close as his header from Jamie Glackin’s corner hit the crossbar.
The Blues were very fortunate not to be pegged back when they were pressurised playing out from the back. Chris Johns just about managed to scrape the ball out from his goalline under pressure but it landed at the feet of a Coleraine man and Matthew Shevlin will be disappointed not to have scored from inside the box.
Shevlin fired off target again but not by much as he headed onto the roof of the net from a deep cross by Stephen O’Donnell and again Coleraine were appealing for a penalty as they thought he was pushed in the back by Trai Hume.
Chris Shields almost sealed the win with a sweetly-struck shot from 25 yards which flashed agonisingly wide of the post. Coleraine threw everything at it, ending the game with four strikers, a winger and an attacking midfielder on the pitch.
Chris Johns made a vital save in the final six minutes when Coleraine looked sure to equalise. Striker Eoin Bradley held off Linfield’s Sam Roscoe before squaring the ball across to Matthew Shevlin who took time to set himself before being denied by a great save at close range. Johns then made another big save in the third and final minute of added time when Stephen Lowry’s shot from distance took a hefty deflection and Johns did well to react and ensure the Linfield fans were travelling back up the road in great spirits.
Full Time: Coleraine 1 – 2 Linfield
Match Images
