Coleraine beat derby rivals Ballymena United 3-1 to move two points clear at the top of the Irish Premiership table as previous leaders Glentoran went down 3-1 at Dungannon Swifts to bring to an end their unbeaten start to the campaign.
Goals from Will Patching and Matthew Shevlin (2) put Coleraine in control, with Ben Kennedy pulling one back for the hosts at Ballymena Showgrounds.
Marcus Kane had the Glens in front by half-time at Stangmore Park but the visitors had Jordan Jenkins sent-off for a second yellow card offence and goals by Leo Alves, Junior Ogedi-Uzokwe and Adam Glenny secured a fifth league victory in six outings for Rodney McAree’s side.
Tiarnan Mulvenna, Reece Neale and Jack O’Mahony found the net as Bangor retained their place in the top six by condemning Glenavon to a 11th consecutive defeat with a 3-0 win at Mourneview Park.
Luke McCullough scored a second-half header to end Carrick’s four-match losing streak in the top flight as they saw off Portadown, who had Gary Thompson sent-off late on, 1-0 at Taylors Avenue.
Coleraine win to move to summit
At a raucous Ballymena Showgrounds, Coleraine went in front inside the first 80 seconds.
Rowan McDonald’s angled cross was flicked on by Shevlin into the path of Patching, who beat Sean O’Neill with a neat cushioned volley.
The visitors almost doubled their advantage on 20 minutes when Shevlin’s header from a Joel Cooper cross brought a sharp reflex save from O’Neill, with the veteran keeper getting up quickly to block Shevlin’s follow-up effort.
But Coleraine deservedly doubled their goal tally three minutes before half-time when Shevlin turned sharply on the edge of the penalty area before arrowing a low shot past O’Neill.
Shevlin struck again four minutes into the second period when he was on hand to guide home a low shot after Dean Jarvis had cut back a low cross from the bye-line after another incisive Coleraine attack.
The home side pulled a goal back just before the hour mark when half-time substitute Charles Dunne got himself in a tangle as he attempted to clear Danny Lafferty’s cross from the left and Ben Kennedy profited to guide a shot beyond Aidan Harris.
However, Coleraine were comfortably able to see out the game and bounce back from last week’s reverse at the hands of Bangor.
Swifts comeback inflicts first defeat on Glens
Dungannon Swifts produced a stirring second-half comeback to secure a win over Glentoran.
The visitors struck first in 21 minutes, Danny Amos curling a free-kick to the back post where Shane McEleney nodded it back across goal for Kane to head into the top corner.
But the match turned dramatically after the break. Moments after Jordan Jenkins was sent off for a high challenge on Steven Scott, Alves levelled with a stunning free-kick that dipped over the wall and into the top corner.
Junior Uzokwe then came back to haunt his former club, turning Danny Wallace’s cushioned header past Andy Mills from close range after Kealan Dillon’s clever pass found the full-back in space.
Defender Adam Glenny sealed it with a near-post header from a corner two minutes from time to cap an impressive Swifts performance.
Earlier, Dillon’s teasing delivery had given Sean McAllister an early sight of goal, while Mills produced a brilliant stop to deny the striker again just after the half-hour.
At 1-0, Jenkins squandered a glorious chance to double the lead for the away side following Pat Hoban’s perfect through ball before the frontman’s dismissal on the hour mark turned the momentum towards the hosts.
Glentoran boss Declan Devine was also be given his marching orders minutes later following an exchange with referee Shane McGonigle.
Bangor heap more misery on Glenavon
Bangor started the game brightly creating multiple chances in the first five minutes through good use of the wings with Mulvenna looking dangerous early on.
Glenavon grew into the game as time progressed, holding possession for good spells. Francely Lomboto nearly opened the scoring during this period with a back-post header which went narrowly wide.
The visitors set out their stall to make use of their aerial threat in attacking areas. During the 39th minute this strategy paid dividends. Kyle Owens from played a high-ball from the centre circle toward Ben Arthurs, who headed across goal for Mulvenna to finish past Mark Byrne.
On 69 minutes Neale doubled Bangor’s lead, beating Jack Malone for pace on the left wing and hitting an audacious long range effort which beat Mark Byrne in the Glenavon net.
Glenavon’s arrears increased late into injury time when substitutes Michael Morgan and O’Mahony linked up to deliver the Lurgan Blues their 11th defeat of the season as boos rang out across Mourneview Park.
Carrick too strong for Ports
With just two minutes played at Taylors Avenue, Joe Crowe’s long throw-in from the left was met by the head of Aidan Steele from six-yards out, but he was unable to keep his header on target.
Five minutes later Paul Heatley, making his comeback from a head injury, attacked down the right before cutting the ball inside to Danny Gibson, but his shot was blocked and went just wide of the upright.
Steele also went close for the hosts as he hooked in a left-footed effort that went just wide of Aaron McCarey’s right post.
On 26 minutes, against the run of play, Portadown went close three times in as many minutes. First Ryan Mayse struck a low drive from 12 yards that forced Nathan Gartside into a tremendous save.
Then seconds later Jimmy Callacher almost diverted into his own net before Rayhaan Tulloch fizzed his shot just wide of the far post as Carrick escaped.
Just before the break Crowe struck a low bobbling free-kick from the edge of the Portadown area that gave McCarey all sorts of trouble as the keeper fumbled before the ball was cleared to safety.
Fifteen minutes after the restart Heatley drilled in from the edge of the area after the ball was half-cleared from a corner. The ball then broke to the right where Matthew Snoddy shot across goal but after taking a ricochet somehow McCarey gathered on the goal-line.
The deadlock was eventually broken on 71 minutes. The ball was delivered from the right by Jack Scott and captain McCullough rose highest inside the area to nod home into the left-hand side of the net.
Ten minutes from time Portadown’s misery was deepened when captain Gary Thompson was sent-off after a second yellow for a dangerous tackle as Carrick hung on for victory.
