91Èȱ¬

Coleraine earned a late draw with Crusaders in a game which saw the match officials at the centre of controversy.

The Crues took the lead in the 18th minute when Jordan Owens tapped in from close range to complete a fine move.

Gareth McKeown was yellow-carded for taking a free-kick too quickly and then was red-carded for a second-half foul.

Curtis Allen levelled with a penalty on 82 after Josh Robinson handled in the area after the players had stopped in response to a wrong offside decision.

The dumbfounded Crues players surrounded referee Tim Marshall to protest but to no avail.

The Shore Road men went into the game on the back of three straight league wins and the confidence gained from that impressive run showed in the early stages when Gary McCutcheon put Paul Heatley clear but the midfielder's weak shot was easily saved by Michael Doherty.

The deadlock was broken when Owens found the net after Craig McClean's cross was headed down by Timmy Adamson and McCutcheon pulled the ball back for his strike partner to score.

Adamson then volleyed over the bar and then Ruairi Harkin fired a free-kick just wide of the post.

Heatley just failed to get on the end of a McCutcheon cross and McKeown blasted over when he should have hit the target.

Stephen Lowry had a weak shot, Owens fired over and Sean O'Neill saved a shot from Ryan McIlmoyle.

Coleraine remain second and Crusaders fourth.