Glens recover to defeat 10 man Coleraine at the Oval

Coleraine missed the chance to open up a 14 point gap on opponents Glentoran on a night when anything that could go wrong did go wrong.

The Bannsiders edged in front just after the hour thanks to Matthew Shevlin's 12th league goal of the season but a Pat Hoban penalty and a late Johnny Russell goal secured the points for the hosts.

But that tells only part of the story.

The visitors lost play maker Jamie Glackin to injury early in the game and he was quickly followed off the field by fellow midfielder Will Patching, who limped out of the action with what appeared to be a back problem.

Dylan Boyle, another key component of the Coleraine midfield, was sent off by referee Christopher Morrison following a tackle on Michael-John Kamara with around half an hour remaining.

Cameron Stewart was also forced off the field, with a head injury, while in the closing stages both head coach Ruaidhri Higgins and his assistant, Kevin Deery, were sent off by the man in the middle.

In between times, Pat Hoban levelled from the spot while Russell's cross somehow deceived Coleraine goalkeeper Ryan Schofield for a dramatic late winner.

The result ends a five match winless run for Declan Devine's side who close to within eight points of the Bannsiders, who remain top of the table on goal difference from Larne.

The Inver Park side, however, have three games on hands on their rivals.

Linfield have four games in hand back in third, with seven points the gap.

The challenge now for Coleraine is to patch together a team to take on old rivals Ballymena United in the Boxing Day derby at the Warden Street Showgrounds.