COLERAINE returned to winning ways in the BOYLE Sports Premiership thanks to a comeback victory against Bangor at Clandeboye Park...

Ruaidhri Higgins elected to make four changes from the previous Premiership loss to Linfield as Levi Ives, Cameron Stewart, Lewis McGregor and Joe Thomson were all handed starts.

However, the Bannsiders found themselves a goal behind with just five minutes on the clock. An initial deep cross on the right by Iestyn Hughes failed to pick out a player in yellow but the ball was kept alive by Steven McCullough and he chipped the ball into the path of Tiarnan Mulvenna who headed into the net.

With both teams testing each other out, it took until the 22nd minute for the next goal-mouth action but it was certainly worth the wait as Coleraine equalised. An inch-perfect long ball by Aidan Wilson picked out the run of Matthew Shevlin and he made no mistake with a clinical finish.

The goal certainly sparked Coleraine into life as Will Patching released Thomson deep inside Bangor's half. The midfielder, who scored in the North-West Senior Cup semi-final success against Limavady United on Tuesday night, tried his luck from distance but the ball sailed wide of the near post.

Just after the half hour mark, Coleraine will feel they should have equalised when a fine team move resulted in Joel Cooper squaring the ball for Thomson. The summer arrival hit a crisp goal-bound effort which was inadvertently directed away from goal after hitting Shevlin.

But Coleraine did complete the comeback by hitting the front on the stroke of half-time. Hughes, who had been influential in an attacking sense for the Seasiders, was adjudged to have brought down Patching inside the area. Up-stepped Patching who made no mistake from 12 yards to give Coleraine the lead.

The second half started with a lot of niggly fouls but Bangor did threaten on 62 minutes when a long throw into the box was cleared as far as Oisin Devlin who hit a driven effort over the crossbar.

On 65 minutes, Cooper played a ball out the right-hand side to McGregor and after the latter sent a cross into the box, it was picked up by Cooper who was denied by an acute angle.

But Coleraine did have a third to celebrate as in-form Thomson found the back of the net yet again. A corner kick delivery by Patching was on the money for the Scotsman to head home from close range.

A minute before the end, Coleraine went close again as this time substitute Ben Wylie picked up possession and sent an effort towards goal which flashed wide.

Bangor ensured there would be a grandstand finish as they pulled a goal back on 90 minutes through Mulvenna's free-kick from the edge of the box but Coleraine held firm for all three points.

BANGOR: Deane, C. McGuiness, Neale, Francis (Mitchell '80 mins), Lynch, Hassin (Boyd '86 mins), Mulvenna, Arthurs (McRoberts '80 mins), McCullough (S. McGuinness '73 mins), Devlin, Hughes (Strachan '73 mins).

Subs Not Used: McMahon (GK), Cushnie.

COLERAINE: Webb, Boyle, Stewart, McGregor (Slevin '68 mins), Patching, Shevlin (Brooks '80 mins), Cooper (Devine '83 mins), Ives, Wilson, Doherty (Henderson '68 mins), Thomson (Wylie '80 mins).

Subs Not Used: Schofield (GK), Kane.

Referee: Ian McNabb