Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
HEAL TAKE POINTS ANY WAY HE CAN
CHEMICAL engineering student Chris Johns is relishing the explosive derby dynamic of today’s Showgrounds showdown with Ballymena United.
The young Coleraine goalkeeper, fresh from his first week of term at Queen’s, has been a key component of the Bannsiders buoyant start to the season.
Still only 22, the former Southampton shot stopper is emerging as one of the most assured No1s in the league.
Coleraine are unbeaten in eight league outings but Johns expects a stern test against a Ballymena side that have seen an upturn in form of late.
While David Jeffrey’s men are in the midst of an injury crisis with Kevin Braniff, Kyle Owens, Emmett Friars and Johnny Mcmurray sidelined, they have won five of their last six games in all competitions. Johns said: “Nobody has to get up for a derby. It’s always a big game and I actually look forward to playing Ballymena. These games are good fun to be involved in.
“Ballymena are a frightening team going forward and are extremely dangerous. They also beat us a couple of times at their place last season, so it’ll be tough.
“We have to make sure we keep things tight and leave it to our forwards to go and win the game.”
On Coleraine’s unbeaten start to the season, Johns added: “We had a good second half to last season and we’ve managed to take that momentum into this season.
“We have brought in quality players like Josh Carson in the summer and the likes of Darren Mccauley (below) has been on fire.
“The atmosphere in the changing room is great and we’re enjoying our football, but there’s nothing like the old cliché of one game at a time. That’s still our mindset.”
While Eoin ‘Skinner’ Bradley and Jamie Mcgonigle have contributed just three goals this season, Johns believes it’s only a matter of time before the strike duo go on a run.
He said: “Skinner and Jamie haven’t caught fire yet, but they have been playing very well – they both have so much quality, so it’ll come.
“The positive thing is we have been sharing the goals around so our strikers haven’t really needed to be on form. In that sense, we have another couple of gears to go.”