So far, so good for Ruaidhri Higgins so far in his opening game as Coleraine manager.

As for Declan Caddell, he will be disappointed that his side haven't had a shot on target in the opening 45 minutes.

Glentoran striker Jordan Jenkins backtracks a long distance to help his defence but brings down Rory Hale with a rather cynical tackle to pick up the first booking of the evening.

The free-kick comes to nothing as it hits the Coleraine wall.

Charles Dunne is the first player to be cautioned for bringing down Stewart Nixon.

The Crues now have a free-kick in a really good position.

Glentoran threaten with Joe Thomson's cross met by David Fisher but Cliftonivlle keeper Lewis Ridd saves rather awkwardly with his legs before the ball is cleared.

Probably not one you'll see in a goalkeeping textbook but the crucial statistic is that he kept the ball out of the net.

Axel Piesold drops a lovely ball in behind the Glentoran defence which Eric McWoods run onto.

The striker makes a good enough connection but his effort hits the side netting.

Rory Hale hits a strike from the left hand side of the penalty area which Kodi Lyons-Foster dives full length to head away.

Declan McManus' powerful free-kick is just wide of the left hand post.

That was a really good chance for Coleraine to give themselves a more comfortable lead.

It was a really fast start to the game by Coleraine but, as the half has progressed, the chances have became few and far between.

Two big team talks are incoming.

Having had a sighter of goal a few minutes ago, Joe Thomson winds up another effort from distance.

This time his angled shot sails over the bar but the midfielder is looking sharp.

Two good defensive moves from Harry Franklin in the last few minutes.

The first to block Kyle McClelland's shot before dispossessing Jamie Glackin before he could send the ball into the box seconds later.

Just over ten minutes to go until the break.

A big chance for Glentoran as Jonny Russell tees up Joe Thomson who hits a daisy cutter from 25 yards which beats the outstretched Lewis Ridd but with most people in the ground expecting the net to bulge, the ball whistles inches past the post.

That must have been mighty close to the opening goal with half an hour played.

Fabulous footwork from Eric McWoods on the left hand side of the Glentoran penalty area earns him a yard of space to cut back a cross.

Ryan Curran pokes the ball towards goal but Marcus Kane is able to block at full stretch and Glentoran eventually clear the ball.

Declan McManus with a big chance to grab his and Coleraine's second of the evening.

However, he can't steer Jamie Glackin's cross into the back of the net from point-blank range.

Glentoran's James Douglas collects the ball 30 yards from the Cliftonville goal and with no-one in a red shirt rushing to close him down, the midfielder tires his luck from distance but it sails high and wide.

Jonny Russell hurls a trademark long throw-in into the Cliftonville penalty area which Kodi Lyons-Foster gets his head to but his effort lacks the power to trouble Lewis Ridd.

Cliftonville's Odhran Casey sends in a clever near post cross which Ryan Curran is quickest to react to but the striker can't keep his flicked effort on target.

Lewis Barr's attempted clearance deflects off Corey Smith, but the right back does well to divert the ball to safety before Smith can try test Jonny Tuffey.

That was a nervy moment for Barr.

The opening 15 minutes at the Oval has been punctuated with errors, a combination perhaps of nerves and a hard, bobbly playing surface.

Declan McManus pounces to give Coleraine an early lead against Crusaders.