Coleraine absolutely smashed Crusaders 4-1 on Saturday at the Showgrounds, flying right back to the top of the Irish Premiership standings. They came out of the gate like a team possessed, hitting the net an unbelievable three times within the first eight minutes of the game, setting a pace nobody could match.
Early Salvo Sinks The Ship Fast
You want a fast start? Coleraine head coach Ruaidhri Higgins said it perfectly: “We wanted a really fast start.” And boy, did they get one! Senan Devine kicked things off inside the opening minute, tapping home from six yards out after Ben Wylie squared a Rob Slevin cross. That was Devine’s second goal of the season, already. Before Crusaders could even blink, Jay Henderson made it 2-0 just four minutes later. The Scottish winger grabbed a stray pass, strode forward, and absolutely hammered a low left-foot shot past a helpless Shea Callister, netting his second of the campaign. And then, at the eight-minute mark, Matthew Shevlin headed home a Ben Doherty cross, making it 3-0 and notching his third goal of the season. Higgins said he’d “never envisage being 3-0 up after eight minutes,” but his players definitely made it happen.
Cruising To The Top Spot
Crusaders keeper Shea Callister actually kept it from being even worse before halftime, making some crucial saves to deny Aidan Wilson and Will Patching. But the damage was done. Coleraine wasn’t done yet, though. Seven minutes into the second half, Devine was there again, pouncing on a loose ball inside the box from a Dylan Boyle delivery and drilling another low left-foot shot into the bottom corner. That was his second of the game, making it 4-0. The only silver lining for Crusaders came late when 15-year-old substitute Michael Mulholland got on the end of a perfect Owen Wardell cross for a consolation goal. But it was way too little, way too late.
This massive 4-1 win means Coleraine replaces Dungannon Swifts at the top of the table. For Declan Caddell’s Crusaders, it’s their first defeat in four outings, a tough pill to swallow after getting blitzed like that. Coleraine clearly meant business, showing they’re ready to set the standard early in the season.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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