Coleraine FC delivered a stunning 5-0 away victory over Crusaders FC on Saturday 24 October to maintain their relentless pursuit of the Premiership title. The win, built on five different scorers and a first-half red card for the hosts, extends their winning run to four games and keeps them one point behind leaders Linfield. This result reinforces their league standing of second in the Premiership with 31 points from 12 games, a record of ten wins, one draw and one loss.
B. Wylie opened the scoring in the 19th minute before Devine struck twice, in the 30th and 41st minutes, to put the game beyond doubt before the break. Crusaders' afternoon worsened when J. Blaney turned the ball into his own net seven minutes after half-time, and substitute A. Brooks completed the rout with a late finish in the 86th minute.
How the game unfolded
Crusaders' task became monumental early on when S. Rough was shown a straight red card in the 11th minute. Coleraine capitalised immediately, with Wylie's opener setting the tone for a dominant display. The visitors managed the game expertly after going ahead, picking up only one booking through B. Doherty in the 23rd minute.
Where this leaves Coleraine
This emphatic result solidifies Coleraine's position as serious title contenders. Their recent form reads four wins and one loss from their last five, with the only blemish a 3-1 home defeat to Linfield on 25 September. This victory over Crusaders follows a 3-2 win at Larne on 16 October, a 1-0 home win over Cliftonville on 10 October, and a 3-2 victory at Bangor on 4 October.
Attention now turns to a key home fixture against third-placed Glentoran this Friday 30 October. Coleraine won the reverse fixture 2-1 on 15 September and will be looking to complete a league double. The match at The Showgrounds kicks off at 19:45.
