League leaders Larne are now without a win in their last three games after being beaten 3-2 by Carrick Rangers, as Coleraine win against Ballymena United to close the gap at the top of the Irish Premiership to just two points.
Danny Gibson gave the away side the lead at Inver Park before Joe Crowe’s close-range strike doubled their advantage and a fine finish from Paul Heatley made it 3-0 at half-time.
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Larne responded early in the second half through Tiarnan O’Connor with Dan Bent netting a late goal, but they couldn’t complete a dramatic comeback and now have a slender lead at the top of the table over Coleraine with a game in hand.
At the Coleraine Showgrounds, Ruaidhri Higgin’s side were the 1-0 victors thanks to first-half Will Patching’s goal.
Clinical Carrick continue impressive run
Larne made a bright opening to the game, but it was the visitors who went in front on 21 minutes.
Joe Crowe’s initial long throw was eventually worked back to the midfielder in a wide area and his driven cross was well controlled by Gibson, who swivelled before firing a low cross shot into the net via the inside of the far post.
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The visitors came close to doubling their advantage when they counter-attacked quickly and Heatley ran past goalkeeper Rohan Ferguson, who had advanced from his goal, but the angle proved too tight for the winger and his low shot rolled wide of the far post.
It was 2-0 to Carrick three minutes before the interval as Joe Crowe exchanged passes with Paul Heatley before running into the penalty area and guiding a low shot past Ferguson into the bottom corner.
Remarkably, Rangers grabbed a third goal in first-half additional time when Matthew Snoddy’s through ball saw Heatley spin past Aaron Donnelly before surging into the penalty area and despatching a crisp, low shot past Ferguson.
Larne made four changes at the interval and three of them combined within four minutes of the restart with Dylan Sloan’s pass releasing Matty Lusty, who unselfishly squared for a tap-in for O’Connor.
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The Inver Reds battled hard to find a way back into the game with Conor McKendry’s long-range shot beaten out by Nathan Gartside.
The home side eventually scored a second seven minutes into injury time when Bent forced the ball home from close range following a goalmouth, but the league leaders were unable to salvage anything from the game as they lost at Inver Park for the first time since the corresponding weekend last year.
Patching’s strike seals three points for Coleraine
Ballymena almost took the lead inside the opening two minutes, but Jamie Glackin was in the right place at the right time to hack Igor Rutkowski’s effort from a Dylan McGeouch corner off the line.
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Moments later, at the other end, United keeper Bradley Wade got back to save Mark Connolly’s close-range effort after Ben Wylie’s corner had caused confusion in the visitors’ defence.
The Coleraine defender went close again, this time from a Will Patching corner, but Daniel Lafferty was on hand to head clear from underneath the crossbar.
The goal the home side had been threatening arrived just before the half hour thanks to Patching’s seventh of the season.
Jamie Glackin set Ben Wylie free down the left and when he delivered a low cross into the box the midfielder raced in to sweep a left foot shot past Wade at his near post.
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The Sky Blues rallied in the closing stages of the first half but Sean Murray and Daniel Lafferty both sent long range efforts wide of the target.
Sean Murray passed up a great chance to level 10 minutes into the second half but headed straight at Coleraine keeper Ryan Schofield from six yards.
Success Edogun had an even better opportunity midway through the half but was denied by a stunning save from Coleraine keeper Ryan Schofield.
The visitors piled the pressure on in the closing stages, but the home side held on for a vital three points.
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