Coleraine look to get back to winning ways

Coleraine head coach Ruaidhri Higgins says he, his staff and players have addressed the issues which contributed to last weekend’s 3-0 defeat to Linfield at Windsor Park.

The Bannsiders produced one of their worst performances of the season at the national stadium as their opponents leapfrogged them at the top of the table.

Higgins’ side welcome bottom of the table Portadown to Ballycastle Road on Friday night when anything less than three points would be a major shock.

The visitors have won just twice this season and lost six of their seven games on the road.

“We've reflected on the game,” said Higgins of the defeat to Linfield. “You can't go to Windsor Park, have 65 per cent of the possession and lose 3-0, there's something not right there.

“There was a softness about us but it has been addressed, let's just say.

“We've worked extremely hard this week in meetings and on the training pitch to make that that type of performance doesn’t happen again.

“I didn't think we were capable of giving away goals the way that we did. It hasn't really been a feature of the team since the turn of the year but it crept back in last week and it's up to me to do something about it. Hopefully we don't see it again.

“It is a concern, the two games against Linfield, there’s no point in putting it any other way. There was so much at stake in the game, that was the most disappointing thing.

“But, any time that we've had a setback we've always responded well and I expect to see a big reaction on Friday.

“It’s something we've done well (responding to setbacks) and it’s the first time in a long time that we've gone two games without winning so it shows the reaction of the players in this group.

“We have a good mentality and we're more than capable of bouncing back when we need to.

“I can't until Friday night and try and get the three points. We'll mix the team up, we'll change the team up, and we'll go after the game.

“I want a real high energy, high tempo performance and hopefully we see that on Friday night,” he added.

The form book certainly points to a positive outcome for Coleraine who have won their last seven games against Portadown and are unbeaten in their last 12.

You have to go back to March 2022 for the last Portadown win in this fixture, at Shamrock Park, and even further back for the last Ports win at the Showgrounds - New Year’s Day 2015.

Given the disparity in league position and recent form it all points to a home win on Friday.