Coleraine battle back off Cameron Stewart and Matthew Shevlin for share of the spoils with Ballymena
Coleraine battled back for a 2-2 Boxing Day draw on home turf thanks to second-half success.
Ballymena held control off Ethan Devine’s double before the break but the Bannsiders bounced back after goals from Cameron Stewart and Matthew Shevlin.
Early on, Shevlin raced clear off Connor Murray's impressive pass but a determined Daithi McCallion tracked back to put the Coleraine player under pressure.
A Jamie Glackin corner-kick towards the near post was attacked by Shevlin but without the planned purchase.
The Bannsiders carved out another opening as Murray produced impressive control to connect to a long ball from the back before slipping in Rhyss Campbell and the home winger's drive bounced off the crossbar.
Glackin skipped past the challenge of Stephen O'Donnell but his curling effort dropped the wrong side of the post.
Daniel Lafferty's Ballymena free-kick found a way through the home wall but Rory Brown proved on hand. Ballymena kicked off the scoring past the half-hour mark thanks to an arrowed Devine header which found a path past Brown from Alex Gawne's cross.
Coleraine attempted a rapid reply as Corey Smith showed neat footwork and his cross was met by Shevlin only for Aaron Jarvis to track back and hook it off the line.
Sean O'Neill pulled off an acrobatic stop to push away Murray's free-kick effort.
Devine doubled his advantage in the closing moments of the first half - converting off another Gawne delivery.
The Bannsiders had appeals for a second-half penalty waved away before, on 56 minutes, Stewart headed home from a Glackin corner-kick.
Kyle McClelland headed just wide of the target off a corner-kick for Coleraine.
Glackin was unable to gain a key touch to cap Smith's driving run and cross.
Ballymena came close to restoring the two-goal advantage as Lafferty's free-kick was headed wide by an unmarked Jarvis.
A Coleraine penalty allowed Shevlin to level from the spot on 69 minutes following handball.
O'Neill produced a strong save to stop Shevlin.
A dramatic double save by O'Neill left Stewart then Campbell frustrated late on.