Curtis Allen brace fires Coleraine up to third in table

Ace marksman Curtis Allen grabbed a second half brace to leave Oran Kearney’s men five points off the top.

After a quiet opening the Bannsiders went close to breaking the deadlock on 21 minutes.

Jamie Glackin’s corner was only partially cleared and Stephen O’Donnell and Curtis Allen just failed to put it over the line.

The Bannsiders broke the deadlock before the hour after a great run by Lyndon Kane the ball broke for Allen, who slotted home from close range.

Allen added his and Coleraine’s second on 76 minutes with another good finish inside the box to secure all three points for the Bannsiders.

At Solitude Cliftonville edged in front in the 31st minute as Ryan Curran broke clear and kept his cool to fire past Ross Glendinning.

The lead didn’t last long though as Shay McCartan punished a poor clearance by Garry Breen to level things up before the break.

With eight minutes to go the Reds edged back in front again as Paul O’Neill stooped to head home Breen’s cross to condemn the Sky Blues to a fifth defeat on the bounce.

Glenvon broke the deadlock at Stangmore Park on 18 minutes.

Conor McCloskey picked the ball up at the angle and rifled a shot into the top corner giving Roy Carroll no chance in the home goal.

They almost doubled their advantage three minutes later as that man McCloskey drove a dangerous ball across the face of goal, but no attackers could turn it goalwards.

They didn’t have long to wait for a second though as McCloskey released Matthew Fitzpatrick, who slotted past Carroll.

The game surged into life again as it entered the last ten minutes.

The hosts pulled a goal back through Oisin Smyth’s looping effort.

And minutes later both sides were reduced to ten men as James Singleton and Caolan McAleer were dismissed after a coming together.

The Lurgan Blues stood firm though to leapfrog Ballymena in the table.

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