Coleraine strike late to break Glentoran hearts

Irish Premiership Glentoran 1 - 2 Coleraine FT Substitute Lewis McGregor fired home the winner in the final seconds of the game to seal a dramatic 2-1 win for Coleraine over Glentoran at the Oval. The game appeared to be heading for a 1-1 draw before McGregor pounced deep in added time to extend the league leaders' unbeaten run to 14 games. Earlier, Joe Thomson had broken the deadlock against his former employers after he came off the bench, while fellow substitute, Jordan Jenkins, equalised for the home side with less than 10 minutes remaining. It was a disappointing end to a game for the home side who held their own against the league leaders despite a turbulent start to the week following manager Declan Devine's departure on Monday. Coleraine extend unbeaten run with win over Glens Coleraine settled early and created a number of good chances inside the opening quarter. First, Matthew Shevlin raced on to a long ball out of defence from Ben Doherty before testing Glentoran goalkeeper Billy Crellin with a crisp shot from 12 yards. Moments later Will Patching and Jay Henderson combined to create an opening for Joel Cooper but the former Linfield man's volley went the wrong side of the crossbar. And Shevlin really should have done better when again presented with another opportunity by the impressive Doherty, the unmarked striker lifting his shot over the crossbar from six yards out. Glentoran, too, had their chances, forcing Coleraine goalkeeper Lewis Webb into a number of fine saves in an entertaining first half. First, he dived acrobatically low to his left to block Greg Sloggett's volley from distance before getting down low at his near post to divert Jordan Stewart's low drive away for a corner. Ross Clarke's strength saw him outmuscle Ben Doherty but no one in a Glentoran could get on the end of his inviting ball across the face of goal. The visitors again were on the front foot in the early stages of the second half and Joel Cooper twice went close. First, he was denied at close range by a smart stop from Crellin who raced quickly off his line before a snapshot curled wide of the far post after Will Patching's free-kick had been blocked. The visitors broke the deadlock with just under 20 minutes remaining thanks to second-half sub Thomson. The former Glentoran man, on the pitch only a matter of minutes, was quickest to react when the ball fell to him after Matthew Shevlin had challenged Billy Crellin to a Ben Doherty cross, drilling a low shot past a number of covering defenders. The Glens weren't behind for long as substitute Jenkins levelled with seven minutes remaining, capitalising on some hesitant Coleraine defending to nip in and force the ball over the line from eight yards. But there was still more drama to come as yet another sub - McGregor - reacted quickest to a loose ball inside the Glentoran penalty area to sweep home what proved to be the winner deep into added time.