Glentoran fight back to defeat 10-man Coleraine

Glentoran staged a remarkable comeback to beat 10-men Coleraine 2-1 and get their title aspirations back on track on a dramatic night at the Oval.

The visitors led through a Matthew Shevlin goal just after the hour but a Pat Hoban levelled with a penalty 10 minutes from the end before 'supersub' Jonathan Russell sealed the points in the 89th minute.

Coleraine had midfielder Dylan Boyle sent off 20 minutes from time for a challenge on Michael-John Kamara before head coach Ruaidhri Higgins was also dismissed in added time.

Coleraine almost opened the scoring after just 50 seconds as Coleraine midfielder Jamie Glackin tried his luck from distance but Glentoran keeper Andrew Mills was equal to the task, diving low to his right to save.

Minutes later, Liam Burt fired into the side netting from a Jordan Stewart cross while Joel Cooper did likewise at the other end shortly after as the game started in frenetic fashion.

The chances kept coming in the opening 45 minutes as Mills denied Matthew Shevlin with an outstretched foot while Coleraine keeper Ryan Schofield held on to Daniel Larmour's fierce shot from 15 yards in front of goal.

Joel Cooper twice went close just before the break in a goalless first half, blazing a right foot volley wide of the target from a narrow angle before forcing Mills into a smart save from a left foot volley following good work from Dean Jarvis on the left wing.

Shevlin on target for Bannsiders

The deadlock was finally broken just after the hour thanks to Matthew Shevlin's 12th goal of the season.

Dean Jarvis did brilliantly to dispossess Ryan Cooney before whipping an inviting ball across the face of goal.

Michael-John Kamara, in attempting to clear the danger, deflected the ball into the path of Shevlin, who had the simple task of nodding home into an empty net.

The visitors were reduced to 10 men with 20 minutes remaining as Dylan Boyle saw red for a dangerous tackle on Kamara in midfield.

And the hosts made their advantage count with just under 10 minutes remaining as Pat Hoban blasted home from the penalty spot after Dean Jarvis was adjudged to have fouled in the box.

A minute from time they hit the front for the first time as sub Jonathan Russell's cross from the wing drifted over the head of goalkeeper Ryan Shofield and into the back of the net.

Higgins was shown a red card in added time as Coleraine's night went from bad to worse.

But for Glentoran it's a shot in the arm in terms of their title hopes after five games without a win.