Bannsiders were punished for failing to take chances in Crusaders loss, says head coach Dean Shiels

The Bannsiders lost to Declan Caddell's men for a fourth consecutive time this season after goals from Jacob Blaney and Harry Jewitt-White sealed a 2-0 victory for the visitors.

In truth, Coleraine were punished for a lack of killer instinct in front of goal as Matthew Shevlin was twice denied by Jonny Tuffey, with Connor Murray and Corey Smith also striking the woodwork.

The defeat means Coleraine missed the chance to leapfrog their opponents in the table as their search for consistency in terms of results continues.

Shiels said: "I think we are obviously disappointed to lose the game.

"Talk about outcomes vs performances and I think the outcome didn't reflect the performance.

"I think it's hard for me to be critical when they didn't create a chance.

"There was a wide free-kick which we didn't pick up and it was slack from our point of view.

"We are then 1-0 down but we should have been 3-0 ahead before they got that opportunity.

"We were denied a 1v1, hit the bar, hit the post and we spent the last 45 minutes inside Crusaders' 18-yard box.

"When you spent the majority of the game inside the opponents 18-yard box, we had about 80 crosses into the box and we pinned them in...it's disappointing to have nothing to show from it."

When asked if it was a lack of quality or ruthlessness for the missed chances, Shiels responded: "I think there's an element of maybe both there.

"I think the ruthlessness in front of goal is about the execution, it's about self-belief and we've taken our chances throughout the season but today we didn't - and that's football.

"Crusaders came and did a job on us in that they created very little but it's what happens in the opponent's box and we couldn't execute the finish.

"Corey (Smith) hits the post, Connor (Murray) hits the bar and Matthew (Shevlin) has had a few chances.

"Those define games and those are the differences.”