Gr-eight start
COLERAINE got their pre-season preparations off to the perfect start last Friday night with an 8-0 win over neighbours Garvagh in the annual charity friendly a Clyde Park.
The Bannsiders had three new signings in the squad as Rory Patterson, Michael Hegarty and Aaron Canning made their first bow in a Coleraine strip. Striker Patterson grabbed all the headlines as he showed some clinical finishing grabbing a first half hat-trick.
However, Hegarty and Canning showed enough to suggest they will more than bolster David Platt's squad. The Coleraine boss was pleased with the run out and what he saw from his new boys.
"It was a great night all round," said Platt. "Not only did we get the season off and running with a good run out, but we also raised a good bit of money for a very worthwhile charity.
"We are a community orientated club and anything we can do to help we will.
"The lads all put a good shift in and importantly they came through it unscathed which is the most important thing at this stage of the season.
"Unfortunately you can't take anything out of a game like this. It was more about getting going again and giving the fans a glimpse at the new signings.
"I think they will have been imprseed with what they saw. The three lads all showed up well and now it's all about getting them blended into the squad in time for the start of the season."
It was Garvagh who almost snatched a shock lead as the forward latched on to a poor clearance by Davy O'Hare, but John Neill showed great strength to snuff out the danger.
At the other end Patterson almost acrobatically converted David McClements cross on five minutes. However the Strabane man didn't have too long to ait to break his duck for the Bannsiders as Tommy McCallion released him on 13 minutes and the former FC United man slotted past Matt McGraw.
Jody Tolan and Stephen Carson both went close with header before Tolan teed up strike partner Patterson on 24 minutes to double the lead. A minute later Patterson released Carson, but the winger dragged his shot just wide.
Five minutes later the duo combined again as Patterson picked Carson out at the back post to head past McGraw. On 35 minutes Patterson showed good skill to weave his way through the Garvagh defence before slotting past McGraw from close range.
Platt rung the changes at half time and two subs almost added to the lead straight after the break. First Richard Gibson hit the bar before Darren Boyce drew a great save out of McGraw.
Eight minutes into the second half another sub Stephen Dooley cut through the Garvagh defence before firing home. Just after the hour mark James Peden got to the by-line before crossing for Boyce to score with a diving header to make it 6-0.
With 20 minutes to go Gibson was upended in the box and the big man dusted himself down before slotting past McGraw and two minutes later he grabbed his second and Coleraine's eighth as he tapped in Dooley's cross.
Right at the end the Bannsiders nearly made it 9-0 only to be denied by some good defending and a bit of bad luck. John Neill released Dooley into the box and his dink over the keeper teed up Gareth Tommons, but his shot was blocked on the line.
David McClements fired the rebound goalwards, but his shot was deflected wide off Richard Gibson's heel.
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Weather for Coleraine
Wednesday 23 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 11 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 12 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: East
