Coleraine saw off Crusaders 4-1 on Saturday evening in the fifth round of the Premiership regular season. The hosts opened the scoring inside a minute and never looked back, extending their unbeaten run to five matches. By then the pattern was clear — this was a match decided early and played out with authority.
S. Devine struck after just one minute, catching the visitors unawares. J. Henderson added a second five minutes in, and M. Shevlin completed the first-half haul eight minutes from the break. The visitors, who had won three of their previous five league games, looked exposed from the opening whistle.
Crusaders managed to get back into the contest only after the break, but Coleraine's control was absolute. M. Mulholland pulled one back in the eighty-third minute with a late consolation, but the damage had long been done. The hosts made five changes around the hour mark, rotating personnel while maintaining their grip on the game.
Coleraine dominated every area of the pitch. Sixty-eight per cent possession against thirty-two, 130 attacks to sixty-eight, and seventeen shots to three — the figures tell the full story. Ten shots on target produced four goals, while the visitors could only muster two efforts on goal. They had plenty of chances, but the visitors simply did not have enough.
The result moves Coleraine further clear at the top of the table on thirteen points from five games. Crusaders remain sixth on nine points, their two defeats now looking significant with the season still young. The hosts have nothing to lose now and everything to play for as they look to extend their lead.