Former Glentoran captain Paul Leeman, who was on the recreation as a co-commentator for BBC Sport NI, mentioned that Higgins’ facet produced a “completely dominant show” in easing to victory.
“From the beginning of the sport they got here out with an actual goal, took the sport to Crusaders early on and it appeared like it could be tough for Crusaders to comprise them,” he added.
“The second half they had been skilled. They managed the sport, managed the sport and we noticed some nice targets. Coleraine actually confirmed their high quality.”
Leeman singled out Wylie and Devine as standout performers, with each making significant contributions on a day during which the league’s high scorer Matthew Shevlin struggled and missed an enormous probability to attain.
With the sport all however over as a contest after 40 minutes, the most important problem for Coleraine within the second half was the weather, which Higgins remarked had been “as dangerous as you may see”.
“The rain and wind blowing a gale, it was tough however I believed our gamers had been actually skilled, utilized themselves brilliantly and we received to make use of our squad at present as effectively which was necessary.”
A raft of second-half adjustments, together with the introductions of the likes of Brooks, Lyndon Kane and Joe Thomson confirmed Coleraine’s depth and helped them hold the depth excessive towards a younger Crues facet, with everybody determined to stake a declare to play a larger function in upcoming massive video games towards Glentoran and Linfield.
The stats make good studying for Higgins’ males, who’re residing as much as the billing as favourites to finish a 52-year look forward to the Gibson Cup this season.
The Irish Cup holders have solely dropped 5 factors from their 13 league video games and final season’s high scorers have already bagged 31 targets throughout this marketing campaign whereas conceding simply 12.
Taking over Glentoran in Duncan Ferguson’s first recreation in cost on Friday adopted by an away recreation towards in-form Linfield on Saturday, 7 November of their subsequent two video games, each stay on BBC iPlayer, will current a lot stiffer challenges for Higgins’ facet than they confronted towards the Crues.
But, they’ve already proven they’ll win in many alternative methods this marketing campaign; whether or not it’s ugly towards the likes of Limavady, by coming from behind as they did towards Larne, or in fashionable vogue befitting of the standard they’ve of their squad, as they did on Saturday.
