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Steven Crawford

Oran Kearney points to the reasons behind Coleraine's inconsistency

Oran Kearney is hoping his Coleraine side are back to producing performances more like their DNA following their 0-0 with Glentoran.

Kearney admitted it has been a "frustrating season" to date as his Bannsiders side have blown hot and cold.

Seven wins and six defeats in their opening 14 games highlight that inconsistency, but the Bannsiders boss feels he knows exactly why this has happened.

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"It's been a frustrating week, to be honest it's been a frustrating season where we've huffed and puffed," he said.

"When we're good, we're good, when we haven't been it's looked like nearly a different team at stages

"The reason behind it is to me is very simple. I think the last four or five seasons we make two signings in the summer, we maybe release two, and we stick with what serves us well, with what we're about.

"I think we all knew we'd come to the end of a cycle where I think this summer we let go of around 10 or 12 players.

"We've signed eight or ten which is the first time in about six years.

"I remember my first three or four years it was like 12 in, 12 out every season where you're just trying to land on something.

"But since we've had success we've never had to do that and we've been very much along the likes of the team that, you could have predicted our team.

"You would have a fair idea of the players who would be playing.

"With that then brings a certain performance level on the pitch where players know each other inside out and they know what's expected in every game.

"I think this season hasn't looked like that if I'm being perfectly honest.

"Now, in hindsight, it's probably normal and it's understandable as well because when you make so many changes that cohesion and that understanding obviously takes a dip, takes a while to get back to what we're good at.

"For me in particular I think there's been lots of parts of us this year that I've really liked but there's been big parts of it that I haven't liked.

"In particular, off the ball this year I think the manner of the goals we've conceded and even chances we've conceded and I said this to the players before the game it's not us.

"To me, there's a DNA at this club, there's a DNA in the type of performance and the type of graft we put in, the community club that we are and the way we go about our business.

"At times we've had that this year and there's been other times where we haven't.

"For me, against Glentoran, more than anything, was about getting back to the Coleraine that I know and the DNA of the Coleraine that I know, which is workmanlike, which is serious graft, which has good quality in it as well and which goes to the wire every single time and is bloody hard to beat."

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