Top two meet at Windsor Park

It’s one big game after another for Coleraine just now.

After entertaining Gentoran and their high profile new manager Duncan Ferguson on Friday night, the Bannsiders visit Linfield on Saturday.

It’s first against second at the national stadium in front of what undoubtedly will be the biggest attendance of the weekend.

Both teams are in good form at present, with this weekend’s game - even at this early stage of the season - having a bearing on what can potentially happen further down the line.

David Healy’s side, of course, did a job on Coleraine the previous time the two teams met - at the Showgrounds earlier in the season.

On that occasion, Ruaidhri Higgins’ side had no answer to the visitors’ high press, their bright start laying the foundation for a 3-1 win.

It might have been different had referee Evan Boyce not disallowed Matthew Shevlin’s perfectly good goal when they score was 2-0, Linfield going straight up the other end of the match to make it 3-0.

Coleraine have responded well to that setback, their only defeat to date, and should have recorded a fifth straight win at the weekend.

Unfortunately, the concession of an 88th minute equaliser to Jordan Stewart made it two points dropped but they have the perfect opportunity to return to winning ways on Saturday.

Joel Cooper, on target for the hosts against the Glens, hobbled off late on Friday night and the hope is that he recovers to face his former team.

“He's rolled his ankle but hopefully it's not too bad,” said Ruaidhri Higgins immediately after the game.

“We know what Joel's like – he's an amazing professional, lives his life right, does everything in his power to make himself available for matches - so we'll see how it settles over the next day or two.

“It's a brilliant piece of play from Joel - when you get him in that inside right space there's nobody like him.

“It's a phenomenal goal – just a pity we didn't go and put the game away after that because for large periods I felt we were dominant and deserved to get three points.

“But do you really deserve it when you don't do the basics of the game? We didn't in that moment.

“We had the game completely in our control, we had ample opportunities - particularly Shevy's one - and the one opportunity they got they punished us.

“You're never gonna control a game for 90 minutes, very rarely anyway. It's professional sport, professional football and they were obviously going to have a reaction in the second half but we still never gave up any opportunities so it's really disappointing,” he added.

As for the experience of coming up against arguably the biggest name ever to enter Irish League football, Higgins admitted he enjoyed the experience.

“He's worked under some phenomenal managers and coaches and I wish him all the best,” he continued.

“He seems a really friendly big man and I've heard a lot of good things about him as a person.

“I think we all welcome him to the league, though I don't think the Irish League will phase him – he's been in the game long enough.”

Coleraine face Linfield at Windsor Park at 6pm on Saturday.