'It's really important to note that' - Ruaidhri Higgins calling on old favourites towards new-look Coleraine progress
Coleraine’s early-season climb up the Premiership standings is built on a key combination of old favourites alongside new faces for boss Ruaidhri Higgins.
Will Patching’s penalty kick in first-half added time handed the Bannsiders a boost on the road at Portadown heading into the break before Coleraine increased the advantage off Matthew Shevlin, Joel Cooper and a second from the first-half scorer.
James Teelan cut the gap in the closing stages to offer the home Ports a consolation for a spirited performance against high-flying Coleraine within the 4-1 scoreline.
Five wins from six across an unbeaten start to the season has offered initial rewards for significant investment in the club but Higgins is keen to highlight the blend behind banking those points.
“The players have been brilliant - there seems to be a good culture growing around the club, which is really important if you want to be successful.” said Higgins. “People talk about the investment and who we've brought into the club.
“But if you look at the last two away performances...seven of the 10 outfield players that started both games were here from previous.
“As much as we've signed really good players who've enhanced the squad, the players who have been here previous have been every bit as influential and important.
“I think it's really important to note that....we're delighted with where the squad's at, the depth and the quality and how they're responding to what we're trying to do."
Higgins’ Coleraine next host leaders Glentoran on Friday – with the Bannsiders sitting second by a point having a game in hand.
“Everyone seems to be in a good place and pulling in the one direction,” said Higgins. “But what are we? Six games in?
“Let's be nice and calm and enjoy it and try to win on Friday night...that's all we can focus on.”
Higgins celebrated victory over the Ports but also issued a warning to Coleraine.
“Pleased but we were better last week (win v Crusaders)...it took us a while to speed our game up in the first half,” said Higgins. “Once we did we got a grip of the game, we got a goal - the penalty - at a really good time.
“I think the first 25, 30 minutes of the second half is when the game was won.
“Because we were in front they had to come out a wee bit more and it left spaces for us to exploit...I thought we done that really well.
“I'm honestly really annoyed we conceded...we spoke about it at full-time.
“The game was gone and dead...we stopped doing the things well we'd been doing for the previous half-hour.
“We gave up two or three opportunities, which is really disappointing.
“We won't get away with that every week.
“We spoke about it coming here...whatever type of game this throws up, we want it to be played in a certain way.
“You can have a plan of what we want to do but the game can fire up something completely different.
“But it's our third away game on the spin, we've taken nine points...so I won't complain too much.”