Coleraine FC extended their perfect start to the Premiership season with a dramatic 2-1 comeback victory over Glentoran. The win at The Oval on Tuesday keeps them three points clear at the top of the table with 19 points from seven games.
Jamie Thomson equalised in the 72nd minute before Lee McGregor struck a 94th-minute winner, cancelling out Jay Jenkins's 83rd-minute opener for the hosts. The result marks a fifth consecutive league win for the Bannsiders, who have now scored 17 goals and conceded just five this campaign.
Glentoran started brightly and created the better chances in a tight first half. Coleraine grew into the contest after the break, but it was the hosts who broke the deadlock with seven minutes of normal time remaining. Jenkins found space inside the box to fire Glentoran ahead.
The lead lasted just nine minutes. Thomson, who had been a persistent threat, levelled the scores with a composed finish to set up a frantic finale. Deep into added time, McGregor pounced to snatch all three points, sending the travelling support into raptures.
Manager Oran Kearney praised his team's resilience. "The character to come back like that, especially so late, shows what this group is about," he said. "We kept believing and got our reward."
The victory continues an impressive run of form. Since a goalless draw with Larne in mid-August, Coleraine have won every league match, including a 3-2 win over Ballymena United and a 4-1 thrashing of Crusaders.
The three points solidify Coleraine's position at the summit. They now hold a three-point cushion over second-placed Linfield. With a goal difference of +12, they also have the best defensive record in the division. The latest standings show the Bannsiders in a commanding early-season position.
Attention now turns to a home fixture against Limavady United on Saturday. Limavady currently sit ninth in the table. The last meeting between the sides in July ended in a 1-0 win for Coleraine. Kearney's squad, which you can review on our squad page, will be aiming to make it six wins in a row.
This story first appeared at Sofascore
