Coleraine manager Dean Shiels says he was pleased to end a “long, tough week” with a 2-0 win over Loughgall.
Jamie McGonigle and Matthew Shevlin scored goals at the end of each half to secure three points.
“We take the positives after a long, tough week with seven points out of nine,” Shiels said after Coleraine moved up to fifth place in the table.
“I thought we were superb in the first half. I think we thoroughly deserved to go in at half-time 1-0 up.
“In the second half it became a little bit of a grind. At times you have to give the opposition credit, and I thought Loughgall turned the screw in terms of getting in our faces quicker and stopping us playing.”
After throwing away a two-goal lead in Tuesday’s draw with Portadown, Shiels admitted he was “happy to see it out” after Shevlin scored a late second.
“We didn’t give Loughgall give any chances on goal and that was a collective.
“There are no easy games. Loughgall are a tough teams to beat and they will take points off top teams this year.
“We had to win ugly, but some of our football was really good at times.
“We showed character and togetherness.”