Back to back defeats for below-par Bannsiders

Coleraine slumped to a second defeat in three days as they went down 2-1 at home to Larne on Tuesday night.

The loss - the first time the team has suffered back to back defeats this season - sees them deposed at the top of the league by the east Antrim club.

There was little between the teams until just before half-time when the visitors struck twice inside three minutes.

First, Leroy Millar timed his run into the box perfectly to get on the end of an inviting Tomas Cosgrove cross in the 43rd minute.

The big midfielder showed a deft touch to angle his volley off the post and into the back of the net with the help of a slight deflection off Coleraine keeper Aidan Harris.

A minute into stoppage time at the end of the half it was 2-0, this time Sean Graham capitalising on some hesitant home defending to rifle home a volley from 12 yards.

Bannsiders' boss Ruaidhri Higgins rang the changes in the second period but they made little inroads on a determined Larne defence until additional time when Matthew Shevlin swept home Will Patching's free-kick to make it 2-1.

It was a case of too little too late for the hosts who must now regroup ahead of Saturday's trip to Seaview to face Crusaders.

How they respond to this latest setback will go a long way to determining their season.