We have found a way of getting the right results at the right time, says Coleraine boss Oran Kearney as the Bannsiders are on the cusp of securing a top-six place

At one point it looked like the Bannsiders might be knocked out of the upper echelons of the table due to a run of form that saw six Premiership games without a win across December and January.

This meant Carrick Rangers, Loughgall and Glenavon all had a chance of leapfrogging the north coast men into sixth spot.

However, Coleraine's form has recently improved and they are now five games unbeaten after Saturday's 1-1 draw at home to Dungannon Swifts.

The hosts had Stephen Lowry dismissed for an off-the-ball incident involving James Knowles but led at the break through Matthew Shevlin's instinctive finish.

A missed second-half penalty by Josh Carson would prove pivotal as former Coleraine striker Andy Mitchell headed in an equaliser on 79 minutes.

The 1-1 draw means Carrick Rangers will have to beat Linfield by six goals if they are to secure 6th place in the standings heading into the split.

"That comes with the territory but the most important people at any club are the players,” said Kearney over criticism his side have received at stages this season.

"We showed a huge amount of guile and experience today that we maybe possibly missed at different stages of the season.

"The key thing for me is that we've an honest bunch in there, we've no crooks in there as they say in football.

"With the record we had in the middle of the season, there's every right not to be in the top six, but how we found a way to get the right results at the right time it speaks volumes for the changing room.

"The red card was a challenge but challenges are good in football.

"It's probably a challenge that if it happened in November or December, we wouldn't have came through it.

"We could have lost it today towards the end which would have been harsh, but ideally, we had a big chance to put the second on it to really kill it off.

"The signs of recovery have been really good the last six or seven weeks and it was important to keep building on that.”

Kearney said he didn’t have a great view of the incident that led to Lowry’s dismissal as the midfielder must now sit out the next three Premiership games.

He stated: "It seemed to be a coming together and Stevie has told me that he tried to get away two or three times and he's been tangled up and James (Knowles) hasn't let him away.

"I'm not sure at the end of it whether there's been a pull or Stevie has gone down towards him.

"Stevie isn't malicious but Raymond (Crangle, referee) is adamant that it's a red card but until I see it back, it's going to be a hard one to comment on.

"You go out with an original plan and it's somewhat out the window when a red card is produced.

"We had no full-backs today as Lyndon Kane was suspended and Dean Jarvis had a knock, so our formation was forced upon us today.

"Those are the things and challenges that can come against you."