A battling performance on a heavy pitch saw Glenavon inflict the first home defeat since August on the in-form Bannsiders, a result that sees the Lurgan Blues move up to 4th place in the League. Paul Millar spoke with Gary Ellis of the Lurgan Mail after the game at the Showgrounds.

No changes to the starting line-up for Glenavon but Kevin Braniff returns from injury to take a place on the bench.

Match Highlights courtesy BBC Sport NI – click

Coleraine goal keeper Michael Doherty is out with a combination of groin and hip injuries so Reserves keeper Andy Findlay comes in for his first league start of the season. James McLaughlin, Darren McCauley and Ian Parkhill all drop to the bench with Sammy Morrow, Jamie McGonigle and Brad Lyons coming in.

Ruairi Harkin’s 7th minute shot was superbly tipped over by the flying Jonny Tuffey as the hosts made a bright start but this soon faded.

Simon Kelly smashed a 20th minute header off the bar from a Kyle Neill cross, with Steven Douglas clearing the rebound over the bar for a corner.

Sammy Morrow’s 49th minute shot was well saved by Tuffey, the keeper getting both hands to his drive and making sure the ball was pushed well wide to a safe area.

Rhys Marshall put the Lurgan Blues in front with the opening goal two minutes later heading in at the near post from a Neill corner with the referee and his assistant judging that the ball had crossed the line before it was cleared by the man on the post.

Glenavon’s Rhys Marshall opens the scoring with this downward header. Photo Lorcan Doherty / Presseye.com

Rodney Brown went close to an equaliser when his 57th minute low shot across the goal went inches ide of the far post.

Andy Hall’s free kick in the 75th minute was headed into his own net by Coleraine’s Sammy Morrow to double Glenavon’s lead.

Coleraine’s Sammy Morrow misdirects this header into the back of the Coleraine net. Photo Lorcan Doherty / Presseye.com

Howard Beverland was sent off in the 79th minute after being shown a second yellow card for his second foul on Joel Cooper.

Coleraine captain Howard Beverland is sent off by match referee Raymond Crangle. Photo Lorcan Doherty / Presseye.com

Hall hit the bar two minutes later with a curling shot from the left side of the box.

Glenavon manager Gary Hamilton was delighted with the performance and the three points. Photo Lorcan Doherty / Presseye.com

Coleraine: Findlay, Beverland (c), Douglas, McCafferty, Morrow (Parkhill 79), Harkin, Brown (McCauley 69), Lyons, Kane, McGonigle (McLaughlin 64), Falconer. Subs: Higgins, McCauley, Watt, McLaughlin, Parkhill

Cautions: Douglas 19, Beverland 67 and 79

Glenavon: Tuffey, Marshall, Kelly, Lindsay (c) (Dillon 61), Neill, Hall, Kilmartin, Sykes, Cooper (Patton 81), Kearns, Bradley (Hamilton 84). Subs: Dillon, Patton, McGrory, Hamilton, Braniff

Cautions: Neill 63, Kearns 78, Dillon 83, Hall 90

Referee: Raymond Crangle