Linfield’s frustrations continued last night as the Blues dropped to fifth place and now trail League leaders Larne by 14 points following the Blues’ 3-1 defeat away to Coleraine in the Sports Direct Premiership.

David Healy made four changes to the team which started Boxing Day’s 1-0 defeat to Glentoran – three of which were enforced, as Jamie Mulgrew and Kirk Millar missed out through injury and Isaac Baird was only fit for the bench due to a knock. Callumn Morrison also dropped to the bench as Josh Archer, Alex Gorrin, Charlie Allen and Chris McKee came into the starting eleven. It was Spanish midfielder Gorrin’s first start since March, having recently returned from injury, while unused sub Cammy Ballantyne was in the squad for the first time this season. Tranmere Rovers winger Sam Taylor didn’t travel due to illness.

Coleraine, like Linfield, were coming into the match on the back of consecutive defeats. The Bannsiders lost away to Glentoran and then away to Ballymena United in their Boxing Day derby. Coleraine welcomed back Dean Jarvis from a one-match suspension, but midfielder Dylan Boyle was serving the second match of a three-match ban. Kodi Lyons-Foster missed out through injury, as did Jamie Glackin who hurt his shoulder on Boxing Day.

Despite both teams’ recent wobbles, almost 3,500 spectators were in attendance on a bitterly cold night in Coleraine. The Bannsiders made a bright start and went close inside three minutes as Joel Cooper broke down the left wing and put in a pinpoint cross for striker Matthew Shevlin, but his header from close range struck the crossbar.

Linfield brought a patient approach, looking to keep the ball and play out from the back, though they struggled to create when they got into the final third. It was a competitive first half – the Blues had plenty of possession, but Coleraine had the better of the opportunities.

The Blues had several set-pieces in good areas but couldn’t take advantage in the way they did on their last visit to the north coast. Their only decent chance in the first half was when Matthew Fitzpatrick – who’d scored 5 in his last 7 against Coleraine – broke and got a shot off from 20 yards but he curled a strike wide of goal. Kyle McClean also had a penalty appeal turned away after going down from a clumsy challenge by Ronan Doherty.

Following a long spell of harmless possession on both sides, and multiple injury knocks that made the game-stop start, it was near the end of the first half before the match found some life again. On 39 minutes, Coleraine winger Lewis McGregor cut in from the right and his deflected shot was crucially put past the Linfield goal by defender Sean Brown when Matthew Shevlin was coming in behind him at the back post.

The resulting corner was headed out by Matthew Fitzpatrick but only as far as the edge of the Linfield box where Coleraine midfielder Will Patching came steaming onto the dropping ball to unleash a fierce volley which was brilliantly tipped over by Chris Johns.

HT: COLERAINE 0-0 LINFIELD

The Blues had a good chance five minutes after the break when Kyle McClean hooked a pass over the top to put Matthew Fitzpatrick through on goal, but his shot was saved by Newcastle United loanee Aidan Harris at his near post.

Then, two minutes later, the Blues would rue that missed opportunity as Coleraine took the lead with a quick break as a long ball was flicked on by Matthew Shevlin to send Joel Cooper through on goal, and he finished well at close range against his old club.

The Bannsiders had a chance to double their lead six minutes later as Dean Jarvis’ deep cross was pinpoint for Matthew Shevlin peeling off his marker at the back post, but his header was well saved by Chris Johns.

Linfield introduced Callumn Morrison with 25 minutes remaining and he almost made his mark within five minutes as he outfought Levi Ives for the ball before striking a left-footed strike just wide of the top left corner.

Another sub, Matt Yates then crossed from the right to find Fitzpatrick, but he couldn’t get the required power on his header for it to beat the goalkeeper.

Coleraine replaced Joel Cooper with Jamie McGonigle with 15 minutes remaining and the attacker scored within two minutes of coming on to make it 2-0. Much like the first goal, the Blues will be disappointed not to have dealt with a simple long ball. Shevlin flicked it on again and McGonigle took it early and finished clinically with a low strike into the far corner.

The Blues continued to have plenty of possession but struggled to do anything with it. However, they did draw a lifeline just a matter of seconds into four additional minutes as Chris McKee converted a penalty kick which was awarded for a handball by Dean Jarvis. McKee sent the goalkeeper the opposite direction for his sixth goal of the season.

There was still time for the Blues to potentially get another goal, and they managed to earn a corner, but Kyle McClean’s delivery was too close to the goalkeeper. Coleraine then sealed the win with the last action of the game as a quick break down the left saw midfielder Will Patching cut inside onto his right foot for a perfectly executed curling strike into the top corner. Certainly not the end to the year that the Blues would have wanted.

And so, as we enter 2026, it remains the case that the Blues have only won away to Bangor (albeit twice) from their 10 away League fixtures so far – a stat the Blues must change if they want to have success in the new year.

Another unwanted stat is that this is the first time since October 2017 (Cliftonville, Coleraine, Crusaders) that the Blues have lost three consecutive matches. It is important that the champions bounce back when they welcome Bangor to Windsor Park in League action this Saturday, though the Blues will be without Ben Hall whose booking against Coleraine was his fifth of the season and therefore the central defender reaches the threshold for a one-match suspension.

FT: COLERAINE 3-1 LINFIELD

COLERAINE: Aidan Harris (GK), Lyndon Kane ©, Cameron Stewart, Charles Dunne, Levi Ives, Dean Jarvis, Ronan Doherty (Rowan McDonald 63’), Will Patching, Lewis McGregor (Zane Okoro 83’), Joel Cooper (Jamie McGonigle 75’), Matthew Shevlin

Unused: Lewis Webb (GK), Stephen Fallon, Cead McGrath, Tiernan Brolly

LINFIELD: Chris Johns (GK), Sean Brown, Ethan McGee, Ben Hall, Dane McCullough, Alex Gorrin, Josh Archer, Kyle McClean ©, Charlie Allen, Chris McKee, Matthew Fitzpatrick

Unused: David Walsh (GK), Isaac Baird, Cammy Ballantyne, Jon Graham

Referee: Ben McMaster

Yellow cards: Lyndon Kane & Charles Dunne (Coleraine), Ben Hall (Linfield)