Ruaidhri Higgins content with Bannsiders' start after goalless draw at home to Larne
Coleraine manager Ruaidhri Higgins says his side won’t be “too down” after their first home game of the campaign ended in a goalless draw against Larne.
Neither side could be breached across 90 minutes of football on the north coast but it wasn’t for the want of trying as Coleraine will feel they should have an advantage heading into the half-time whistle.
Efforts from Will Patching, Joel Cooper and Matthew Shevlin meant visiting ‘keeper Rohan Ferguson was busy but the Invermen did go mightily close to taking the lead before the interval when Lewis Webb showed his reflexes to tip Matty Lusty’s header around the post.
Coleraine pushed in the second half for that elusive goal but their final ball just let them down as they had Webb to thank as he made two further interventions to keep Conor McKendry and Montel Gibson at bay as the game finished 0-0.
"Lewis Webb makes two great saves in the game but I felt on chances over the course of the game and territory and set plays and all those types of things...I felt we probably edged it but we'll take the four points from the first two and move on,” said Higgins after the game.
"Early in the second half we lost our way a bit...so we had to change our system.
"The game was then more scrappy but I can’t fault the endeavour and desire but we weren't our vintage self, particularly in the second half.
"I think we could have gone in 3-1 ahead at half-time. Webby makes a good save but we have three major chances to take the lead.
“I think what we've proved over the last 12 months when we're at it, when we click, we can open anyone up and that's the way we play.
"We'll see as the season develops but we'll not get too down about today's result.”
The Bannsiders have had issues with injuries at centre-half so far this season as Aidan Wilson and Cameron Stewart have suffered setbacks, with Rowan McDonald also having to be withdrawn.
On McDonald, Higgins added: “We will get him scanned and see where it’s at.
"You get Aidan (Wilson) back and then Rowan goes out...so it’s been a bit of a nightmare from that point of view in terms of the defensive part of the pitch.”