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Cliftonville extended their lead at the top of the Premiership table to seven points as two Joe Gormley goals helped them see off Coleraine at Solitude.

Liam Boyce put the Reds ahead on five minutes and Gormley's deflected shot doubled the lead 19 minutes later.

Curtis Allen pulled a goal back for Coleraine on 37 and the striker went close to equalising after the interval.

However, a defensive mix-up left Gormley with only the keeper to beat on 71 and the striker made no mistake.

With George McMullan suspended, Thomas Cosgrove came into the Reds defence while four Coleraine changes from the defeat by Glenavon included Oran Kearney handing a debut to young Portuguese winger Hugo Batista.

Boyce rounded Michael Doherty to put the Reds into the lead only five minutes in and Gormley doubled the advantage on 24 as his shot deflected off Jonny Watt to wrong-foot the keeper.

As Coleraine improved, Ruairi Harkin had a couple of efforts denied by Reds keeper Conor Devlin while Allen also went close with a half-chance.

However, the Bannsiders were back in the game seven minutes before the break as Stephen Lowry's spadework on the wing set up Allen's 10th goal of the season after a flick-on by David Scullion.

With Boyce forced off by concussion, the Reds did lose their way somewhat after the interval.

Allen headed over and then nodded wide as the Bannsiders threatened to force an equaliser.

However against the run of play, Gormley settled the match with his 71st-minute goal as the Coleraine defence was marked absent.