Matthew Shevlin’s Coleraine goal double first brilliant then ‘bread-and-butter’
Matthew Shevlin was back in the same old habit on Saturday as he enjoyed the benefits of a new on-pitch partnership.
Coleraine left Portadown with two goals, three points and one clean sheet thanks to success in front of goal by Shevlin and at both ends of the field from Conor McDermott.
Right-back McDermott contributed assists for both of Shevlin’s goals as the summer signing linked up superbly with last season’s top goalscorer.
McDermott picked out the run of Shevlin on 20 minutes with a searching pass from deep into his team-mate’s path behind the Ports backline, controlled and converted thanks to an expert first touch to pull down the delivery and delicate lob to lift it home.
From breaking the deadlock with a goal off the highlights reel, Shevlin managed to double his tally - and that of Coleraine - just moments into the second half thanks to a bread-and-butter poacher’s finish.
McDermott capped his surging run along the right with a clipped cross to close clever approach play between Jamie Glackin and Evan McLaughlin with a ball glanced in off Shevlin’s close-range header.
“I said to Conor before the game I would be making loads of runs into the channels,” said Shevlin. “I took a great first touch then saw the keeper off his line and lobbed it over him.
“I made the exact same run a few minutes latter and Conor played the exact same ball but I probably thought I had less time than I did, I could have taken another touch and finished it.
“But I’m happy with the two to get up and running for the season...we’ve worked on it in training and now just need to keep going.
“A lot of striker’s goals would be in the six-yard box between the posts, that’s your bread-and-butter, so I’m happy with the second.”
Shevlin feels McDermott’s slick integration is one shared by a number of recent arrivals.
Portadown produced spells of attacking spark before the break that included two efforts off the upright - but Oran Kearney’s visitors proved assured overall.
“We’ve great competition for places all over this season and have definitely improved the squad so it’s a challenge to stay in the team,” said Shevlin. “We’re playing good football at the moment, playing it out from the back and passing it about.
“So if I’m the outlet for that ball in behind or in the channel it gets us out.
“The new signings don’t really feel like new signings any more, they’ve gelled that well.
“We played really well in pre-season together so we’re happy with how we’re playing at the minute and just take each game at a time.
“I put down my form to Oran trusting in me, playing every week and scoring goals...we’ve quality players in behind, which always helps.”