SUMMIT HAS TO GIVE

Carson’s ready for a big battle at the top of the table

COLERAINE winger Josh Carson accepts something’s got to give in Saturday’s shootout with in-form Crusaders at The Showgrounds.

The Crues have won their last nine games in all competitions while the Bannmen, who are perched at the top of the table, have won all eight of their home league games this season.

“Our tails are up but they’ve been flying as well,” said Carson, whose sixth goal of the season helped the league leaders to a 4-1 win over Ards on Tuesday night.

It was the perfect tonic to Saturday’s 2-1 defeat at Linfield and eased Coleraine five points clear of Glenavon and six above third placed Crusaders who boast a game in hand.

The importance of the points on offer on Saturday cannot be understated as Coleraine bid to strengthen their grip on the summit.

Carson said: “Playing the Crues is always tough but you want to play in these top of the table clashes and you want to pick up points in the big games.

“Hopefully we can come away with another three points. We won at Seaview earlier in the season 2-1 so we have shown we can get results in these games.

“We’re in a great position and we’ve done well up to now but the season doesn’t end in November.

“We have to try and chalk up as many wins as we can and not worry too much about what’s going on around us.”

The Crues head to the Showgrounds on the back of nine straight wins – five in the Premiership and four in cup competitions.

Tuesday’s commanding 4-0 win at Dungannon Swifts made it 32 goals in those nine games, with winger Gavin Whyte chipping in with nine goals in his last five appearances.

Carson, who joined Coleraine from Linfield in May, said: “They have been scoring a serious amount of goals of late and look to be back to the Crusaders of old.

“It’s vital we play for 90 minutes and not do what we did against Linfield when we only started playing for the last 45 minutes.”

On Tuesday’s 4-1 win over Ards - courtesy of a Carson strike, a double from defender Gareth Mcconaghie and Martin Smith’s first goal for the club - he added: “It was about bouncing back from Saturday’s defeat to Linfield.

“It shows the character we have that we can pick ourselves up after a defeat. It was an important three points and it was nice to get another goal.

“I’m loving life at Coleraine, I’m playing with a smile on my face and I want to chip in with as many goals as I can.”