Ferguson's Glentoran debut ends 1-1 at Coleraine after late Stewart header

Duncan Ferguson's first match as Glentoran manager ended 1-1 away at Coleraine, and it was saved late. Jordan Stewart headed the equaliser with two minutes left.

Ferguson had to wait for his debut. His first scheduled game in charge, a match against Ballymena United at the Oval, was postponed because the pitch was waterlogged. So his opening test came on the road, against the leaders of the Irish Premiership, Northern Ireland's top league.

Coleraine took the lead through Joel Cooper. At the time they were also the division's highest scorers, and for long spells they looked the sharper side. Glentoran goalkeeper Andrew Mills made several saves to keep his team in the game. Coleraine's Matthew Shevlin also struck the woodwork, and that moment could have changed the story of the afternoon.

Then came Stewart's header, with the clock almost gone. BBC Sport reported that Ferguson admitted he had been nervous before kick-off. Afterwards he was open about the feeling. "It's a relief," he said. "At the end of the day you are under pressure."

He was just as frank about the result. "If you had offered me a draw before the match I would have taken it, 100%," he said. For a new manager, a point from a hard away game against the table's top side is not a bad start.

Ferguson is no stranger to the big stage. He had two interim spells as Everton manager, in 2019 and 2022. An interim manager is a temporary boss, put in charge until a permanent appointment is made. Before Glentoran he managed Forest Green Rovers in England and Inverness Caledonian Thistle in Scotland.

The build-up was not all calm. Before the job had properly started, he told the Irish News that he was disappointed after his first training session, because only one player had been sick. It was the sort of line that suggests a manager who expects a lot from his squad.

The result also came with a backdrop. The Belfast Telegraph reported that a 1-1 draw with Bangor the previous week had sealed the end of Devine's time as manager. The same paper reported that Ali Pour, a figure linked to the club's ownership, had flown in to watch that game.

At the final whistle, Ferguson walked over to the travelling Glentoran supporters and applauded them. Away fans who have made a long trip often remember moments like that longer than the scoreline. The point was hard won, and the man in charge seemed to know it.

Glentoran's next step is to build on a point that came from a late goal. For Ferguson, the first chapter is written, and the players now know what he expects.