Leaders Larne beat Swifts as Coleraine and Linfield win

Paul O'Neill scored an injury-time penalty to keep leaders Larne top of the table

Paul O'Neill scored an injury-time penalty to help Irish Premiership leaders Larne beat Dungannon Swifts 2-1 at Stangmore Park.

Coleraine got back to winning ways with a 2-0 victory over Crusaders to remain two points behind the Inver Reds.

Two late goals from substitute Matt Yates helped Linfield to a 3-1 win over Carrick Rangers at Windsor Park as they moved up to third in the table.

Cliftonville continued their good run of form as they came from behind to beat Portadown 3-2 at Shamrock Park.

Bottom side Glenavon picked up a valuable three points as they secured a 3-1 victory over Ballymena United at Mourneview Park.

Larne leave it late at Stangmore

Larne went close early on with Conor McKendry hitting an enticing volley, but it went wide.

James Knowles was the first to show attacking intent for Dungannon Swifts as his volley, following a knock down from Junior, was inches wide.

The Inver Reds opened the scoring on 33 minutes as Mark Randall, fresh from signing a new contract on Friday, stepped up and scored a fine free-kick.

Just before half-time, Dungannon responded in spectacular style. Matt Ridley only half cleared a high ball and it fell to Steven Scott, who rifled an impressive volley past Rohan Ferguson.

Dungannon almost went ahead in the second half when Junior knocked a ball down to Tiernan Kelly who played in Leo Alves, but his shot was saved by Ferguson.

Late drama then ensued as substitute Matthew Lusty received the ball inside the box and used good close control to go around Declan Dunne, who brought down the attacker.

O'Neill stepped up and fired the penalty low to the goalkeeper's right, with the ball squeezing in despite Dunne guessing the correct way.

Coleraine pick up much-needed win at Seaview

Coleraine began brightly and passed up a number of opportunities before Jamie Glackin broke the deadlock just after the quarter hour.

Levi Ives swung in a dangerous corner from the far side where Glackin beat a helpless Jonathan Tuffey from close range with a brilliantly executed overhead kick.

Earlier, Declan McManus scuffed his shot from a quickly taken Ives corner while Will Patching's control let him down when clean through on goal.

Zane Okoro and Lewis McGregor both shot wide of the target from good positions before Fraser Bryden forced Coleraine's Aidan Harris into his first save in the 46th minute.

The home side were much improved after the break and Lloyd Anderson should have done better when set up by Bryden, but the midfielder was unable to find the target.

Jacob Blaney looked certain to score midway through the second half when the ball broke to him inside the six-yard, box but the defender completely mis-hit his shot.

And they were made to pay deep into added time when second half substitute Jamie McGonigle raced clear of the home defence to plant a low right foot shot past the despairing dive of Johnny Tuffey for his first goal of the season.

Yates at the double for Blues

The Blues hit the front on 11 minutes, with Chris McKee getting on the end of Kirk Millar's cross and finding the bottom corner from the edge of the six-yard box with a precise header.

Millar's assist for McKee marked his 220th in 500 games for Linfield.

Carrick started the second half with real intent, and their persistence paid off on 71 minutes as they equalised through Aidan Steele.

Linfield failed to clear their lines on more than one occasion, with Steele pouncing to level for the visitors with a goal their efforts deserved.

Four minutes from time substitute Yates fired home from close range, before adding a second goal in injury-time to secure all three points for David Healy's side, who weren't at their best, but still got the job done.

Reds on a roll

It was the Ports who looked the most threatening in the first half and they were unfortunate not to take the lead when Josh Ukek headed narrowly over at the near post following Eamon Fyfe's in-swinging corner.

On the half-hour mark, Ben Wylie was next to go close when he skipped past the challenge of Odhran Casey, only to steer a low shot narrowly wide of the far post.

Minutes later, the Reds almost struck against the run of play as Keevan Hawthorne's cross picked out Ryan Curran at the back post, but his header came back off the upright.

Jim Magilton's men were made to pay for Curran's miss moments later when the home side raced up the pitch and Jordan Gibson drove home from close range after the visitors failed to clear Fyfe's delivery from the left.

Cliftonville came out a different side after the break and levelled in the 55th minute when Casey fed Joe Sheridan in the penalty area, and after evading challenges from Baris Altintop and Wylie, the Reds academy graduate slotted low past Aaron McCarey.

The turnaround was complete midway through the second half when Ukek was adjudged to have handled in the area, and Curran stepped up to fire straight down the middle to the delight of the travelling support.

Jack Keaney wrapped up the points two minutes from time, rising at the back post to head Rory Hale's corner past a helpless McCarey before substitute Rhys Annett pulled a goal back deep into injury time, but it proved too little too late for the Ports.

Glenavon overcome Sky Blues

Ballymena were gifted a penalty inside the opening five minutes after Niall Quinn's errant pass across the face of goal fell short of goalkeeper Mark Byrne, who then brought down Success Edogun.

Edogun took the resultant spot kick and while his weak effort was saved by Byrne, the striker was on hand to smash home the rebound for his fourth goal in five games.

But Ballymena's lead lasted barely five minutes as Peter Campbell's inviting cross from the left was slid home by the in-rushing Jack Malone.

Ballymena goalkeeper Sean O'Neill then made a couple of saves to deny Michael O'Connor and Paul McGovern.

In a dour second half it looked as though the points were going to be shared until Glenavon were awarded a penalty with two minutes remaining after referee Shane McGonigle adjudged that Barney McKeown had been fouled, and David McDaid fired the resultant spot kick past O'Neill.

The home side wrapped up victory in stoppage time with a counter-attack goal as Paul McGovern found Peter Campbell, who beat O'Neill with a crisp angled finish.