Darren Boyce celebrates his opening goal with Michael Hegarty

Crusaders dropped to third in the Carling Irish Premiership after crashing to a third defeat in four games at Coleraine on Tuesday night.

Two Darren Boyce goals on either side of half-time put Coleraine in control.

Rory Patterson's penalty (71) increased the Bannsiders' lead after Crues keeper Chris Keenan had been sent off.

Mark Dickson pulled a goal back for Crusaders on 76 minutes but Coleraine sub Stephen Carson completed the scoring eight minutes from time.

After leading the table going into Tuesday's fixtures, Crusaders drop to third place on goal difference behind new leaders Linfield and Glentoran - with all three teams on 31 points.

Boyce hit his opening goal on the stroke of half-time by heading home his fifth goal of the season after Keenan had misjudged Eunan O'Kane's cross.

Crusaders put the Bannsiders under intense pressure after the break.

Davy O'Hare made a great save to turn away an Eamon Doherty shot on 47 minutes and the Coleraine keeper then tipped over a Jordan Owens header.

As Crusaders continued to press, Gareth Harkin cleared another Owens effort off the line.

However, the decisive moment of the match came on 63 minutes as Boyce doubled Coleraine's lead after good work by Stephen Dooley and Rory Patterson.

Patterson extended Coleraine's advantage to 3-0 by hammering a penalty past substitute keeper Aaron Hogg after Keenan had been red-carded for hauling down Dooley.

Dickson stabbed home a reply for Crusaders on 76 but Carson connected with O'Kane's cross to re-establish Coleraine's three-goal advantage in the 82nd minute.

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