'A manager's dream' says Dean Shiels as Coleraine chief shares his delight as star striker hits deadly treble in win against Dungannon Swifts

The men from the north coast followed-up last weekend’s comeback victory against Glentoran by securing another three points against Dungannon Swifts at The Showgrounds.

Coleraine hit the front with virtually the only real chance of the opening 45 minutes as Matthew Shevlin prodded home from Rhyss Campbell’s flicked header from a corner kick.

The Swifts responded just two minutes after the break to level as Leo Alves’ free-kick was headed into the back of the net by an unmarked James Knowles.

However, Coleraine stunned the visitors with three goals in a devastating eight-minute spell to bag all three points.

The first arrived just after the hour mark as Danny Wallace scored an unfortunate own goal from Lyndon Kane’s cross, before Shevlin bagged his second with a shot on the turn four minutes later.

The hosts were then awarded a penalty on 68 minutes as Adam Glenny brought down Campbell inside the area, allowing Shevlin to complete his hat-trick and make it 12 goals for the season in all competitions.

"We are delighted with the win and there seems to be a bit of momentum with the performances and results at the moment,” Shiels said after the full-time whistle.

"We knew it was going to be difficult as Dungannon haven't been conceding goals and we're delighted with the win.

"It was really poor to concede after the restart and it was a cheap foul at the far corner.

"We didn't deal with it well but then we had to show the mentality to react to that.

"We got caught cold at the start of the second-half but then we had to rally.

"I've noticed a massive shift in the mentality of the players and that's what's getting us points at the moment.

"We have lots of quality and there's loads of different patterns we are working on.

"The main thing that wins games is mentality in both boxes and we had that today.”

Shevlin’s hat-trick makes it five goals in his last two games and Shiels says the marksman is “a manager’s dream” – not only for his goals – but for his selfless work both in and out of possession.

He stated: "We have to try and play to his strengths and you've seen that in the last two games in regards to his two goals against Glentoran and his three today.

"If you keep putting the ball in the box, then there's no better striker in the league at being in the right place and having the desire and quality to score.

"He's a manager's dream to have in their team and I'm talking about when the other team has the ball as his work-rate is phenomenal.

"He harries, he chases and fights for every ball. If you ask the Dungannon defenders today did they enjoy playing against him, I don't think they would due to his physicality and he never gives the opponents the opportunity to relax on the ball.

"When we are setting up with a high press, we are delighted with his timing, where he shows the opposition and all those things out of possession.”