Institute striker Kevin Ramsey fends off Paddy McLaughlin at the Showgrounds

By Alex Gulrajani

Coleraine missed the chance to go fourth after a spirited second-half performance from Institute.

The home side opened the scoring after 14 minutes through Darren Boyce's volley from six yards.

Joe McCready equalised for Institute at the start of the second half, beating Davy O'Hare from the edge of the area with a curling shot.

The visitors went on to dominate the remainder of the game but Coleraine held on for a point.

Despite missing goal threat Rory Patterson to international duty, Davy Platt's side got the early break through Darren Boyce after 14 minutes.

Michael Hegarty delivered a looping cross from the right to the back-post where Boyce took the ball down on his chest before volleying past Gavin Cullen from six yards.

Stephen Lowry should have doubled the lead six minutes later after latching onto Stephen Carson's throughball but he was denied by Cullen.

McCready was the visitors' main goal threat although he was twice denied by O'Hare.

Declan Divin looked certain to level the match when one-on-one with O'Hare on 39 minutes but the keeper kept the winger out with his feet.

Richard Gibson saw his left-foot curler come back of the inside of the post and then blasted over from ten yards when it seemed easier to hit the target.

John Gregg's men hit back eight minutes into the second half through McCready - the youngster struck a delightful curling effort from the edge of the area to beat a full-stretch O'Hare.

The introduction of Sammy Morrow just after the hour lifted the home side and the former under-21 Northern Ireland international had their best chance of the second half with a 25-yard free kick just missing the outside of the post.

The last five minutes saw end-to-end action with both teams countering the other but neither side could snatch all three points.

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