Matthew Shevlin delighted to repay the faith Oran Kearney has shown him

Matthew Shevlin is clearly revelling on playing regular football again.
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As a teenager the the striker was being tipped for a high-profile move across the water, but unfortunately that never materialised.

A subsequent move to Linfield from boyhood club Ballymena United failed to kickstart things in a way he would have liked.

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But the frustrations of the last few years have been forgotten about since he made the switch to Coleraine.

Matthew Shevlin fires home his second goal against Warrenpoint Town. Picture: Desmond Loughrey/PacemakerMatthew Shevlin fires home his second goal against Warrenpoint Town. Picture: Desmond Loughrey/Pacemaker
Matthew Shevlin fires home his second goal against Warrenpoint Town. Picture: Desmond Loughrey/Pacemaker

The 22-year-old switched Windsor Park for The Showgrounds in January and hasn’t looked back.

Four goals in 12 starts was a decent return for his first half season at the club.#

But he has really hit the ground running this term.

A goal against Velez Mostar in the Europa Conference League qualifier teed him up nicely for the new campaign.

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His brace against Warrenpoint Town on Saturday took him into double figures for the season already.

And Shevlin is only too happy to have repaid boss Oran Kearney’s faith in him by hitting the target on a regular basis.

“At the start of the season you just want to get off to a good start and I’ve definitely done that,” said the striker.

“I’m happy with how it’s going at the minute.

“I’m just happy to be playing every week. Knowing that you’re coming to play is the best feeling.

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“But you know you have to perform every week to stay in the team with the quality we have in the squad.

“I’m just happy that I’m playing well at the moment.”

Coleraine were always in control of Saturday’s clash against Warrenpoint Town after Shevlin’s composed sixth minute opener.

He repeated the feat at the start of the second half to seal another win for the Bannsiders.

The only blot on his copybook was that he didn’t manage to complete his hat-trick despite having a couple of chances to do so.

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“Yeah the only disappointment is I didn’t manage to get a hat-trick,” said Shevlin with a wry smile.

“I had one ruled out for offside, I think I might have been on, and I missed another chance which I probably should have scored, but I’m happy with the two.

“I’m running in behind a lot now, and when you do that you’re going to get chances, especially when you’re in a good team, they are going to create chances for you.

"If they do that then you’re going to score goals.”

The win lifted the Bannsiders up to third in the table, but Shevlin is happy to go about business unnoticed.

“As a team we don’t want people talking about us loads,” he said.

“Going under the radar and picking up results is the best way to be.”