Kyle McVey opened the scoring for the Bannsiders after barely two minutes with a well taken spot-kick dispatched into the bottom left corner after Jody Tolan was pulled down from behind by Ross Redmond as he darted into the area.

The visitors equalised after 13 minutes, however, when Coleraine 'keeper Davy O'Hare missed a Johnny Topley corner from the left allowing Gareth McKeown the simple task of steering the ball home at the far post.

They then moved in front on 40 minutes when Marc McCann flicked a Philip Craig free-kick across the face of goal for Gary McCutcheon to volley home.

It was 3-1 on 52 minutes after a Paul Gaston clearance cannoned off McCann and bounced over O'Hare's head.

Both sides were reduced to ten men later in the half.

Jody Tolan was first to walk on 57 minutes after picking up a second yellow card before Kevin Braniff was shown a straight red ten minutes later following a tackle on McVey.