In-form Bannsiders defeat Crues at Showgrounds

Coleraine made it three straight Premiership wins with a 2-0 victory over second-placed Crusaders on Friday night.

Evan McLaughlin doubled the lead in the second half by slotting home from a Jarvis cross.

Coleraine stay sixth but the win moves Oran Kearney's side to within three points of the Crues.

• Coleraine overcome Crusaders - as it happened

There was just 12 minutes on the clock when midfielder Jarvis was quickest to react to net Josh Carson's set-piece rebounded off the woodwork.

And fellow midfielder McLaughlin made it 2-0 on the hour mark when he got on the end of a Jarvis cross to direct his left foot shot past a helpless Jonathan Tuffey in the visitors' goal.

Crusaders defender Aidan Watson gets above Coleraine's Michael McCrudden at the Showgrounds

In between times, Stephen Baxter's injury-hit side enjoyed plenty of possession but were unable to find the target.

Adam Lecky and Philip Lowry both headed wide in the first half while Paul Heatley forced a good save from Gareth Deane with a smart volley in the 55th minute.

They threw on all-time leading goalscorer Jordan Owens and promising teenage striker Jay Boyd in the closing stages but were left frustrated by a disciplined Coleraine defence.

That's five clean sheets in a row now in the league for Coleraine, for whom this was a third game in six days.

However, they had enough in the tank to record a first win over the Crues in just over a year and narrow the gap on the teams above them.