Coleraine manager Ruaidhri Higgins feels ringing the changes had the desired impact as his side bounced back in style with a 3-0 Premiership win over Portadown.

Having suffered defeat for the second time this season to table-toppers Linfield at Windsor Park in their previous outing, Higgins brought six new players into his starting line-up for the visit of the Ports.

Jay Henderson – one of those drafted in – scored a fourth league goal of the season to set the Bannsiders on their way before Ben Wylie struck against his former club.

Portadown defender Divin Isamala has been credited with an own goal for the third which sealed maximum points for the hosts, but Higgins was clear “it's (Adam) Brooks' goal”.

placeholder image — Jay Henderson celebrates scoring in Coleraine's Premiership win over Portadown. (Photo by Desmond Loughery/Pacemaker Press)

Coleraine remain one point adrift of Linfield, who defeated Ballymena United on Friday night, and were able to get back to their free-flowing best – Higgins’ men have scored 35 goals in 16 league matches this term, at least seven more than any other Premiership team.

While Higgins felt his side could have made matters even more comfortable against a Ports team who remain bottom of the table, he was thrilled to see an emphatic response.

"I felt it was what the game needed tonight...I wanted to go high energy, loads of legs and wingers,” explained Higgins on his changes. "I always feel that as a group that we react well to set-backs.

"It was good to be at home tonight and pick up the three points.

"It's never nice to suffer defeats in the manner that we suffered them last week. It's a rotten feeling and it was about erasing that feeling and putting it away.

"The only way you can do that is by winning the next game and that's what we've done.

"There were some good individual performances and I think if we had been a wee bit more clinical it would have been a more convincing win.

"But I'm happy for the group that we got the three points that we needed."

Ryan Schofield, who impressed in last season’s Irish Cup final win over Dungannon Swifts, made his first league appearance of the campaign – Lewis Webb had been preferred by Higgins prior to Friday’s fixture.

Charles Dunne also registered a maiden outing since returning to The Showgrounds last month with the pair helping Coleraine record a clean sheet – something which Higgins feels was crucial after their previous showing.

"We needed a clean sheet badly and we worked hard, we didn't give up much,” added Higgins. "They do have really good attacking players and we managed to limit them to very few opportunities.

"We've won the game convincingly, should have scored more goals.

"I thought we created a host of chances in the first half, could have been further in front at half-time.

"Today was about winning and reacting after last week and we've done it."