Dean Shiels hails Coleraine's in-form star he labels a 'manager's dream'

Dean Shiels says Matthew Shevlin is a "manager's dream" as the in-form striker bagged a hat-trick as Coleraine ran out 4-1 winners over Dungannon Swifts on Saturday.

Shevlin made it five goals in a week as he followed up his brace in the win over Glentoran last week by walking off with the match ball against the Swifts, moving on to double figures for the season and taking him to 101 career goals.

While Shiels was full of appreciation for Shevlin's ability in front of goal he was also quick to praise his other attributes. "He's a manager's dream to have in their team and I'm talking about when the other team has the ball as his work-rate is phenomenal," said the Coleraine boss.

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"He harries, he chases and fights for every ball. If you ask the Dungannon defenders today did they enjoy playing against him, I don't think they would due to his physicality and he never gives the opponents the opportunity to relax on the ball.

"When we are setting up with a high press, we are delighted with his timing, where he shows the opposition and all those things out of possession.

"I said to the players that because we have 'Shevy', we have to play to his strengths and I think we have seen that in the last few games in the way we are trying to attack teams. He likes certain types of goals and we have to put the ball in the box.

"We have to try and play to his strengths and you've seen that in the last two games in regards to his two goals against Glentoran and his three today. If you keep putting the ball in the box, then there's no better striker in the league at being in the right place and having the desire and quality to score."

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