Glentoran win 'all about bottle and character' as Declan Devine's men battle back to defeat league leaders Coleraine and end poor run
Glentoran boss Declan Devine doffed his cap in the direction of his players after Friday night’s dramatic Sports Direct Premiership win by 2-1 over Coleraine at the BetMcLean Oval.
The pressure was very much on the east Belfast side as they hadn’t won a league game since the end of October.
Defeat would have certainly ended any hopes of capturing the Gibson Cup for the first time since 2009.
And that disappointing run of results looked set to continue – especially when Matthew Shevlin headed the Bannsiders into the lead on the hour during his 200th appearance for the club.
However, the dismissal of midfield workhorse Dylan Boyle with 18 minutes remaining helped breathe new life into Glentoran’s flagging fortunes.
They were perhaps fortunate when referee Christopher Morrison pointed to the penalty spot when Coleraine defender Dean Jarvis and Glens substitute Nathaniel Ferris became entangled in the penalty box.
Striker Pat Hoban stepped up to blast the spot-kick past goalkeeper Ryan Schofield.
At last the home fans had something to cheer – but it got even better.
Deep into added time, substitute Johnny Russell motored down the left before whipping in a great delivery from practically on the touchline and the ball swerved over the head of Schofield and into the net.
The relief around the old stadium was tangible.
The drama was far from over because just before the whistle Coleraine boss Ruaidhri Higgins and his assistant Kevin Derry both received their marching orders.
“We know our recent performances haven’t returned the points we would have hoped for...to be honest, we played better against Larne last week and lost the game,” said Devine. "That win was all about bottle and character.
"The lads rolled up their sleeves.
“I was really disappointed to go a goal behind...we were the architects of our own downfall in terms of the goal.
"We had chances to clear the ball and we failed to do so.
“Let’s face it, it was two really good footballing sides but, unfortunately, there wasn’t a great deal of good football on display from either side...it was a scrap, it was a fight.
“When you are a goal down with only 10 minutes left against a team that is sitting top of the league and you are in a run of form that we were in, I think you must give full credit to the players.
“They never stopped; they never threw in the towel.
“If they keep showing the fight and determination they showed against Coleraine, then we will go a long way to kick-starting our season.”
With Higgins banned because of his dismissal, it was left to Coleraine coach Conor Loughrey to sum up his team’s performance in post-match media duties.
“The sending off was a turning point...Dylan has perhaps asked a question about making a challenge but you see those challenges go unscathed in games,” he said. “If it was a red card then they all must be red cards, all we want is consistency.
“Even with 10 men we felt we had a good enough shape.
"Then the penalty happens, a coming together inside the box.
“It happens time and time again and goes without any form of punishment...it happens throughout the pitch in every game.”
GLENTORAN: Mills (Crellin, 46), Cooney, Thomson (Ferris, 78), Palmer, Hoban, Stewart, Burt (Connolly, 69), Kamson-Kamara, Larmour (Russell, 78), Singleton, Jenkins.
Subs (not used): Pattison, Lindsay, Douglas.
COLERAINE: Schofield, Kane, Jarvis, Boyle, Patching (Watson, 31; McGregor, 75), Shevin, Cooper, Ives, Glackin (Doherty, 12), Dunne, Stewart (McGonigle, 89).
Subs (not used): Harris, Okoro, McGrath.
Referee: Christopher Morrison.