Former Glentoran captain Paul Leeman, who was at the game as a co-commentator for BBC Sport NI, said that Higgins’ side produced a “totally dominant display” in easing to victory.
“From the start of the game they came out with a real purpose, took the game to Crusaders early on and it looked like it would be difficult for Crusaders to contain them,” he added.
“The second half they were professional. They controlled the game, managed the game and we saw some great goals. Coleraine really showed their quality.”
Leeman singled out Wylie and Devine as standout performers, with both making meaningful contributions on a day in which the league’s top scorer Matthew Shevlin struggled and missed a big chance to score.
With the game all but over as a contest after 40 minutes, the biggest challenge for Coleraine in the second half was the elements, which Higgins remarked were “as bad as you’ll see”.
“The rain and wind blowing a gale, it was difficult but I thought our players were really professional, applied themselves brilliantly and we got to use our squad today as well which was important.”
A raft of second-half changes, including the introductions of the likes of Brooks, Lyndon Kane and Joe Thomson showed Coleraine’s depth and helped them keep the intensity high against a young Crues side, with everyone desperate to stake a claim to play a greater role in upcoming big games against Glentoran and Linfield.
The stats make good reading for Higgins’ men, who are living up to the billing as favourites to end a 52-year wait for the Gibson Cup this season.
The Irish Cup holders have only dropped five points from their 13 league games and last season’s top scorers have already bagged 31 goals during this campaign while conceding just 12.
Taking on Glentoran in Duncan Ferguson’s first game in charge on Friday followed by an away game against in-form Linfield on Saturday, 7 November in their next two games, both live on BBC iPlayer, will present much stiffer challenges for Higgins’ side than they faced against the Crues.
Yet, they have already shown they can win in many different ways this campaign; whether it be ugly against the likes of Limavady, by coming from behind as they did against Larne, or in stylish fashion befitting of the quality they have in their squad, as they did on Saturday.
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