Allen penalty helps Coleraine to win over Dungannon

The win consolidates Coleraine in fourth place, just five points behind Cliftonville in third.

It was Dungannon who started brightly and they went close after five minutes. Sean Friars was forced through but was denied by Doherty, before hitting the side netting with the follow up.

Coleraine looked dangerous themselves in the early stages and opened the scoring with a well worked goal after 10 minutes.

Stephen Lowry crossed to David Scullion whose clever back heel fell to Owens who fired a low drive into the bottom corner.

Leading goal scorer Curtis Allen went close on 23 minutes with a shot from outside the box which curled just past the far post.

And as the visitors continued to press, the striker then rolled the ball inches wide with another effort two minutes later.

The Bannsiders blew a great chance to increase their lead on the half hour when Allen released Aaron Boyd but he delayed his shot when he had only Niall Morgan to beat and he eventually bundled the ball wide.

Dungannon were unlucky not to get back on level terms 10 minutes after the restart when Harpur smashed a shot against the crossbar from 25 yards.

One minute later the same player latched onto Marc Brolly’s cross and looked on in despair as his flick just drifted over the bar.

Darren Murphy’s men were much more menacing in the second period and Topley drilled a shot narrowly wide on 60 minutes after a good lay-off by Michael Ward.

The hosts weren’t to be denied and deservedly equalised after 66 minutes when Ward released Harpur who made no mistake from close range.

Coleraine had previously offered little threat in the second half until they regained their advantage after 80 minutes when Michael Funston handled Clarke’s cross.

Referee Colin Burns produced a red card for the defender and Allen converted the penalty.

Ten man Dungannon almost snatched a dramatic equaliser in injury time when Brolly hit the cross bar with a stinging shot and Ward’s rebound struck the post.

DUNGANNON: Morgan, Fitzpatrick (O’Neill 63), McMinn, E. Friars, Gallagher, Funston, S. Friars (Lavery 9 – McKerr 52), Harpur, Topley, Ward, Brolly

Subs: Murphy, Montgomery.

COLERAINE: Doherty, Beverland, Ogilby, Lowry, Hegarty, Scullion, Harkin, Canning, Owens, (McIlmoyloe 78), Allen, Boyd (Clarke 67).

Subs: Cullen, McNulty, McVey, McIlmoyle.