Bannsiders striving to get consistency as they claim back-to-back Premiership wins with Portadown success

After producing an eye-catching 2-0 success against Linfield last weekend, the men from the north coast backed that up by picking up another three points by dispatching Portadown via the same scoreline at The Showgrounds.

O'Connor took up managerial duties due to Dean Shiels serving a one-game suspension and had an early goal to celebrate when Ronan Doherty broke the deadlock with a fine strike on 11 minutes.

The hosts were rarely troubled thereafter and doubled their advantage just before the hour mark as Jamie Glackin delightfully lobbed the ball over an advancing Aaron McCarey.

Whilst the win means Coleraine remain 8th in the table, they are now just a single point behind Cliftonville and Portadown immediately above them as the race for the top-six intensifies.

"It's been our message that one thing we've missed this year is consistency," O'Connor said.

"You have to be consistent in football but that's been our message for the next five games, which are cup finals.

"That's the first one ticked off and we will come in on Monday and work towards next week.

"The boys were super today, kept a clean sheet and as a team you want to preserve clean sheets.

"When you go away to Linfield and get a good result...if you go and lose to Portadown then the last result means nothing.

"We had to win today as Portadown are in and around us for that top-six, so it was a massive win for us.

"I thought the lads started brilliantly and we dropped in a bit for the second-half.

"Our shape was good and Rory (Brown) didn't have a save to make. Overall, it was a good afternoon."

Doherty’s strike was his first for the club since arriving in the January transfer window from Cliftonville and O’Connor heaped praised on another recent recruit.

He explained: "I've played against Ronan a few times and he made Cliftonville tick.

"You can see he is still learning about our players but once you get him on the ball and start playing, he's one of the best in the league.

"It was good to get him higher up the pitch and get his goal today.

"Charles (Dunne) has played at a high level and he brought that experience we've needed this season.

"Cammy (Stewart) and Kyle (McClelland) are good defenders but they don't have that experience which you can't buy.

"Charles has come in the last two weeks and Kyle has been like a new player. He's been super but that comes from Charles organising and getting us up the pitch.”

Coleraine travel to O’Connor’s former stomping ground Glenavon next weekend as the Lurgan Blues also remain in the mix for a top-six spot.

"You look at our last five fixtures - including today - it's against teams in and around us, so they are all six-pointers,” he continued.

"We've got a bit of momentum at the minute, we've had four clean sheets in our last five games and we've had three wins in our last five, so it's decent form going into the last four fixtures before the split.”