Bangor stun Coleraine as Swifts beat Larne

Both Coleraine and Larne missed the chance to go top of the Irish Premiership table as they slipped to defeats on Saturday.

With leaders Glentoran not in action as their game against Cliftonville was postponed on Friday night, the Bannsiders knew a win would take them top, but they fell to a 2-1 loss against 10-man Bangor at Clandeboye Park.

At Stangmore Park, second-place Larne also failed to capitalise on the Glens' inactivity, as their six-game winning run was ended by a 2-0 loss to Dungannon Swifts.

Ballymena United got back to winning ways as they came from behind to beat Carrick Rangers 2-1 at Taylors Avenue.

Portadown came from behind to beat managerless Glenavon 3-1 at Shamrock Park in the late kick-off.

Whilst Coleraine had the better of the early stages of the game, it was Bangor who went ahead on 17 minutes.

The Seasiders won a free-kick that was recycled back across goal by Mark Haughey and nodded home by Jay Boyd.

Coleraine were punished again just before the break as Ben Arthurs sprang the offside trap and, despite a heavy touch, he rolled it between the legs of the onrushing Aidan Harris to double the Seasiders' lead.

However, Lee Feeney's side were reduced to 10-men just after the break when Harry Lynch picked up a cheap second yellow for a foul on Zane Okoro.

The American loanee then halved the deficit a few minutes later for the Bannsiders when he finished off a loose ball in the box after a stunning save from Deane to deny Declan McManus.

As expected, the visitors laid siege to the Bangor goal and had the ball in the net again, but Matthew Shevlin was flagged for offside.

Bangor were camped in their own half and Shevlin came close to nodding into an empty net late on but for a heroic clearance off the line from Stephen McGuinness while Okoro rippled the side netting.

The home side opened the scoring midway through the first half thanks to Tiernan Kelly's first goal for the club.

Kealan Dillon whipped a corner to the back post where Larne failed to clear and there was the former Loughgall man to tap home from close range.

Three minutes later it was 2-0 to the hosts and this time provider Dillon was the scorer.

Larne goalkeeper Rohan Ferguson was put under pressure by Swifts striker Junior as he attempted to play his way out from the back.

A misguided pass found its way to the feet of Dillon, who spotted the goalkeeper off his line and flighted the ball into the top corner of the net with the aid of a deflection off Chris Gallagher.

It could have been even worse for the visitors as Sean McAllister's earlier effort had rattled the woodwork and Junior sent his effort just the wrong side of the post.

Larne's first attempt on goal came shortly after the restart but somehow Dan Bent and Mark Randall got in each other's way after Matt Ridley directed Conor McKendry's free-kick across goal.

Substitute McKendry forced a save out of Declan Dunne low to his right midway through the second half, while fellow replacement Leroy Millar's header from a corner failed to find the target.

Carrick should have gone in front inside six minutes when Danny Gibson stood up a cross from the right flank which was met by the head of in-rushing left-back Ryan McKay, but his effort was met with a sharp reflex save by Sean O'Neill.

Anther superb delivery from Gibson led to Carrick's opener on 16 minutes when his cross found the head of Nedas Maciulaitis, whose initial effort came off the underside of the crossbar, but the striker was on hand to bundle home from virtually on the goal-line.

Ballymena should have levelled soon afterwards when Ryan McNickle weaved his way through onto a loose ball. He curled a low effort beyond Nathan Gartside, but it went inches wide of the post.

But the Sky Blues restored parity eight minutes before the interval when Kym Nelson stooped to nod home Calvin McCurry's in-swinging corner.

Carrick almost regained the lead on the stroke of half-time when Aidan Steele's 25-yard strike was finger-tipped around the post by O'Neill.

Instead, it was Ballymena who moved ahead midway through the second period when Kian Corbally took a great touch to get past an opponent before rolling the ball across the face of goal for the in-rushing McNickle to slot home his first goal for the club.

The visitors struck first when Luke McGerrigan pounced inside five minutes, poking home from close range after Aaron McCarey failed to gather Jordan McMullan's hooked cross.

Mark Byrne then made a fingertip save to deny Mayse, who also found the side-netting moments later.

But the hosts grew into the contest and would roar back after the interval. Ryan Mayse provided the spark in the 58th minute with a teasing delivery from the left that was met by Luke Wilson, whose deft header found the far corner to bring Niall Currie's men level.

Momentum firmly shifted the Ports' way 10 minutes later as Steven McCullough glanced home a near-post header from another Mayse delivery to complete the turnaround, before substitute Ben Quinn sealed the points in style.

The youngster appeared to have overrun the ball before recovering superbly to rifle a stunning strike into the top corner.