Former Coleraine star Howard Beverland believes there’s “question marks” over their current defensive set-up – and insists it’s an area which will need addressed if the Bannsiders are to seal Gibson Cup glory this season.

Ruaidhri Higgins’ side sit top of the Premiership’s goal charts having scored 32 so far this term – at least five more than any other team.

Across their 15 league matches, Coleraine have conceded 16 times – the most of Northern Ireland’s full-time teams – with Linfield and Glentoran (both 11) boasting the division’s best defensive record while Larne (14) have played two games fewer.

The Bannsiders have conceded six of those across two matches against the Blues, who leapfrogged Coleraine into top spot by winning 3-0 at Windsor Park on Saturday evening.

placeholder image — Linfield's Adam Frizzell celebrates scoring against Coleraine. (Photo by David Maginnis/Pacemaker Press)

Higgins has been impacted by a number of defensive injuries this term with Cameron Stewart featuring in 10 of 15 league matches, Aidan Wilson 12, Finn Tonks just four and Rob Slevin has played a lesser role in recent weeks amid speculation over his future.

Charles Dunne has returned to The Showgrounds and was named on the bench last weekend but has yet to feature as he continues to build up match fitness.

Coleraine remain in a strong position in their bid to end a 53-year wait for league glory, currently sitting just two points behind leaders Linfield, but Beverland feels they’re missing a key defensive ingredient.

"Over the years, the team that concedes the least typically wins the league,” Beverland told the News Letter. “You tend to need a consistent back four to win a title.

"There's no doubt Coleraine have the players in the final third in abundance to go and win games, but the question mark is over the back line.

"I know you can pick a certain team or certain personnel for certain games, but I think with defence, you've got to go with your inform players.

"It just feels at the minute that it's unclear as to who their main starters are at the back...it feels like everybody has been a wee bit out of form and Ruaidhri probably hasn't got a set back four.

"Even the goalkeeper situation, last year it was (Ryan) Schofield playing in the league and the Irish Cup final, this year it's (Lewis) Webb and it just doesn't look all that convincing.

"Slevin had been playing but there's talk of him being recalled so he hasn't been involved, they have brought back Charles Dunne, who was an unattached player for the last three or four months.

"I think Ruaidhri really likes defenders who can begin build up, but I just think at times, even in the Linfield game, they lack that dominance...a Colin Coates who just puts their head through a ball and then urges the rest of the team to squeeze up.

"It just doesn't feel like there's that kind of aggressive centre-back and I think you need at least one of those – you don’t need four of them, but I feel that’s missing.

"Maybe that's why they brought Dunne back, but he hasn't played a lot of football or have match fitness, so there's question marks along the back line.

"Even when they win games, Bangor scored two goals. You just begin to think this could be a problem...I think it is, and it's not just against the top teams either.”