Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
IT’S KING JAMES
McLaughlin’s the cup hero for Coleraine
COLERAINE roared back from an awful start to claim the League Cup with a gutsy display at Windsor Park last night.
It was Crusaders who made all the early running and their enterprise paid off in the 10th minute as Coleraine’s usually miserly defence coughed up a gift of an opening.
A poor clearance from keeper Chris Johns was met by Philip Lowry and the Crues midfielder nodded the ball to McGonigle, who took an assured touch before despatching a smart left-foot finish into the net.
Johns was nearly embarrassed again just past the half-hour mark as a McGonigle shot squirmed out of his grasp but he recovered before the ball crossed the line.
Undeterred, the Coleraine fans remained in fine voice but it wasn’t until the 36th minute that they really had something to shout about as Crusaders handed over a gift of their own.
Jamie Glackin took the ball on his chest just inside the Crues box when Rodney Brown decided a barge in the back was the appropriate defensive measure.
Referee Ian McNabb disagreed, Stephen
Lowry stepped up to roll home the penalty and the sides went in level at half-time.
A reinvigorated
Coleraine came flying out of the traps after the break and forced their way in front in the 53rd minute.
Crues keeper Sean O’Neill left his line to try to claim a corner from the right but failed to fight his way past a ruck and James McLaughlin (below) was on hand to nod home.
Johns continued to look uneasy and another shanked clearance fell at the feet of Jordan Forsythe but the Crues midfielder clipped a harmless effort straight back to the keeper.
Coleraine nearly gave themselves breathing space in the 74th minute when the effervescent Glackin scooped a pass into the path of Ian Parkhill but O’Neill was equal to the winger’s stinging shot.
Six minutes later McLaughlin got up brilliantly to meet sub Curtis Allen’s cross but the striker butted the ball just over and the game remained in the balance.
As the clock ticked down, Coleraine’s defence fronted up like a dog with a bone yet time seemed to stand still in the final minute when the ball fell kindly to the unmarked McGonigle just eight yards out.
But with the goal at his mercy, the striker thrashed wildly over and Coleraine were roared to their first League Cup win in 33 years by a frenzied support.
Bann boss Oran Kearney: “We’re very pleased. James hasn’t scored in months and it was written in the stars tonight.”