Irish Premiership: Ballymena Utd 4-3 Coleraine
- Published
Ballymena United came out on top after a seven-goal thriller against derby rivals Coleraine, Matthew Tipton grabbing the winner in the 82nd minute.
Gary Browne fired the visitors into the lead but Darren Boyce levelled with a back-post header 10 minutes later.
Ian Parkhill's diving header put the Bannsiders ahead at the interval.
Tipton equalised 10 minutes after the break, Allan Jenkins put United ahead for the first time and then David Ogilby volleyed home from six yards.
The victory was Ballymena's first over Coleraine at the Warden Street Showgrounds since October, 2009, and the first home win in 10 derby matches between the clubs.
Browne broke the deadlock against the early run of play on 13 minutes, firing in from an acute angle when the ball fell to him after Aaron Canning had the initial shot.
Boyce converted from a Neal Gawley corner against his old club but Parkhill restored his side's lead just before the half hour mark with a diving header from 10 yards past Stuart Addis.
Tipton got a touch to deflect a Boyce shot into the net to make it 2-2 and then Jenkins pounced to find the net from two yards after the ball dropped to him following a mistake by visiting goalkeeper Michael Doherty.
Ogilby took advantage of poor defending to shoot home from six yards but Tipton's back-post header for his second of the game secured the points for the hosts.
- Published20 December 2014
- Published20 December 2014