Coleraine overturn two-goal deficit to beat champions Larne 3-2

Coleraine recovered from a two-goal deficit to beat reigning Irish Premiership champions Larne 3-2 at Inver Park on Friday, with Joel Cooper scoring the winner. According to BBC Sport NI, the comeback inflicted Larne’s first league defeat of the season and moved Coleraine six points ahead of Linfield, although their rivals have two games in hand.

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James Simpson scored both Larne goals to put the hosts in control, but Coleraine turned the match around with three goals in a 21-minute spell. Cooper began the recovery with half an hour remaining after Larne failed to clear Ben Doherty’s cross. Nine minutes later, Doherty was involved again as Matthew Shevlin headed home to bring the visitors level and erase the champions’ advantage.

The decisive moment came with nine minutes of normal time remaining. Shortly after substitute Kevin O’Hara struck the crossbar, Cooper scored again to complete the turnaround. Larne had conceded only three goals across their opening seven league matches; Coleraine matched that total in one second-half burst, leaving the hosts with a defeat after they had appeared well placed to win.

Coleraine manager Ruaidhri Higgins told BBC Sport NI that his players’ response to falling further behind was the most satisfying part of the victory. He praised their refusal to lose belief away to the champions and said they became stronger as the game progressed. Higgins had resisted describing the fixture as an opportunity for a statement win before kick-off and remained cautious about that label afterwards.

The result leaves Coleraine 11 points ahead of Larne, but the champions have four games in hand following their European commitments. Larne have won three league titles in four years, while Coleraine are pursuing their first Gibson Cup since 1974 after a change of ownership and a transition to full-time football. The teams’ earlier league meeting this season finished goalless.

Larne manager Gary Haveron criticised his side’s defending and said they should have secured the match from their winning position. He also played down the suggestion that the result settled anything in the title contest, pointing to further meetings between the clubs and the amount of football still to be played. For Coleraine, the immediate reward was three away points earned through a sustained recovery against the title holders.