Linfield recorded a 3-0 win over Coleraine at Windsor Park this afternoon to move eight points clear at the top of the Sports Direct Premiership.
As was supposed to be the case in last Saturday’s postponed match against Dungannon Swifts, Linfield’s central defender Sam Roscoe returned to the team after three months out injured. Similarly Robbie McDaid was named on the bench; his first time in the squad since February 2023 following a torrid time with two serious injuries.
Coleraine, on the other hand, were without their two most prolific forwards this afternoon as Matthew Shevlin missed out through illness, and Jamie McGonigle through injury. Bannsiders boss Dean Shiels then opted for winger Rhyss Campbell in the lone striker role, although he didn’t get any change from the strong Linfield defensive pairing of Sam Roscoe and Ben Hall.
Neither goalkeeper was tested in the opening 20 minutes although the Blues went close in the ninth minute following a swift break as Kirk Millar picked up possession in the middle of the pitch before finding Jamie Mulgrew making a surging down the right. Mulgrew then whipped in a cross which found Stephen Fallon in the middle, however the midfielder fired wide of the post.
A short time later, a neat move saw Fallon combine with Euan East before the defender fired in a low cross which trickled dangerously across the box, just beyond the reach of Joel Cooper before Coleraine cleared the danger.
The Blues then broke the deadlock in the 29th minute to liven up a fairly quiet affair. A long punt up the field by Linfield goalkeeper David Walsh was battled for and won by Joel Cooper who slipped it to Matthew Fitzpatrick who clinically rifled the ball into the roof of the net from a tight angle.
David Healy’s men almost doubled their lead with a slick move six minutes later. Joel Cooper led the attack as he burst into space before playing in Matthew Fitzpatrick who, with the angle against him, showed good intelligence to backheel the ball first-time to set Euan East who fired just wide of the post from the edge of the box.
Linfield continued to probe in search of a second goal before the break as Fitzpatrick went close with a header which drew an excellent diving save from Rory Brown after the forward met Jamie Mulgrew’s cross from the left. The save resulted in a corner from which the Blues went close again – this time it was Euan East whose header was smartly tipped over the bar.
HT: Linfield 1-0 Coleraine
Having failed to test Linfield ‘keeper David Walsh in the first half, Coleraine came out with more intent after the break as they started the half strongly, winning a couple of set-pieces in dangerous areas; the first of which was delivered into the box and well defended by Matthew Orr on two occasions as the young defender continues to impress. Kyle Spence then won a free-kick in a dangerous area on the edge of the box – it was struck by Jamie Glackin but lacked conviction and was comfortably saved.
The Blues were under the cosh for the first 15 minutes or so of the second half, struggling to get a grip of the game although they defended their box well, before they settled again. David Healy was forced into a substitution on the hour-mark as Kirk Millar was struggling and was replaced by Ethan McGee which prompted a reshuffle to 3-5-2.
Linfield regained control and finished strongly in the last half-hour. The Blues doubled their lead with a goal in the 72nd minute which really set them on their way. It was a lovely individual goal from Joel Cooper who received the ball on the right, cut inside and beat two players before bending a low shot around a third defender from inside the box to find the far corner. The conviction and sharpness of the shot beat the ‘keeper who couldn’t get down to his right quickly enough. It was Cooper’s 12th goal of the season.
Cooper and Linfield really turned on the style after that. The second goal had really lifted the Blues’ confidence in a match which had previously hung in the balance at 1-0. The winger threatened again a short time later when he beat several defenders with style before being brought down on the edge of the box. He deservedly got a crack at the resulting free-kick which was well saved.
The Blues then wrapped up the victory with a third goal which came on 88 minutes. A sliced attempted clearance from Coleraine’s Jack Scott was retrieved by Joel Cooper who slid in Cammy Ballantyne inside the box, and it was an instant impact from the Scottish midfielder who’d came on for Jamie Mulgrew just two minutes prior, as he unselfishly squared it for Matthew Fitzpatrick to coolly slot in his second of the match and his seventh of the season.
Attention now turns to Tuesday evening when the Blues make the trip to Stangmore Park to face Dungannon Swifts in a match that was originally scheduled for last Saturday when the referee called the match off due to wind in the midst of ‘Storm Darragh’. It promises to be a good match between the team with the best home record in the League and the team with the best away record. Dungannon climbed into second place today with their late winner at Ballymena, and they’re eight points off the Blues having played a game more.
FT: Linfield 3-0 Coleraine
Linfieldfc.com Man of the Match: Matthew Fitzpatrick
Written by Jamie Megarry