COLERAINE took their chances in restricting Glentoran during this quarter final first leg of Co-operative Insurance Cup after the league leaders were reduced to ten men.

With their advantage in personnel, Coleraine just managed to edge past their shrunken opponents on away goals but as manager David Platt insisted, that is not enough to cling to. "I am definitely very pleased with the performance, happy with tonight's outcome and we're still in the tie which is what we came here to ensure," he said. "You can't really look at away goals though, we still have to play our game at home to the best of our ability."

Glentoran were knocked just seven minutes in when Kyle Neill was substituted after sustaining a few stud marked grazes on his left leg. Daryl Fordyce, who regularly took a starting position in the Glentoran defence earlier in the season, was introduced for Neill, who was stretchered off.

Linfield were completely dismantled at Shamrock Park during their first leg game against Portadown on Tuesday night, leaving the Glens with every excuse to exacerbate the embarrassment of the Blues' 2-0 defeat. However, Coleraine - seeking to counter their own humilation of a 4-0 away smashing at Bangor on Saturday - were rigid and allowed Glentoran little time on the ball.

The east Belfast hosts fared well against the odds, namely Neill's injury and the bracing, wintery conditions, but after Jason Hill was dismissed nine minutes into the second half, Coleraine tightened their clench on the home side.

Glentoran took the lead after fourteen minutes when Michael Halliday headed in from Scullion's cross from just on the edge of the six yard box. Daryl Fordyce managed a couple of attempts on target during the first half but these were managed assuredly by visiting goalkeeper Davy O'Hare.

Halliday came excruciatingly close to extending the lead on 38 minutes when Dean Fitzgerald's forward pass fell nicely at his feet but the striker skewered his shot slightly wide of the far post, made more misfortunate considering it crossed the face of goal just inches in front of the line.

Coleraine's best chance of the first half came in stoppage time when David Patton seized upon a ball in from Stephen Dooley but his attempt was fired wide of the target. Former Rangers and Dundee United forward Stephen Carson injected some flair into Coleraine's attack throughout but a lack of support and composure struggled failed to lift him onto the scoresheet.

Nine minutes into the second half, Darren Boyce and Halliday involved themselves in a bombardment of Coleraine goal but the final in a string of attempts, which featured headers and close range shots, was hooked away to safety.

However moments after the frenetic assault, Glentoran's Jason Hill was instantly dismissed after dangerously tackling Stephen Dooley on the far side in front of the alarmed dug-outs although the challenged teenager remerged unscathed.

Gareth Harkin joined Matty Crossan and Dooley for some sequences of nice linking play down the near side for Coleraine, but these were frequently suffocated and thrown out of play by the Glens.

Eventually Coleraine levelled on seventy minutes when Marty Crossan struck confidently with his left foot outside the area to narrowly beat Glentoran's stretched 'keeper James Taylor, who made every effort to preserve his team's advantage.

At the close of normal time, Darren Boyce broke free down the centre of the Coleraine half but flicked his shot into O'Hare's nestling arms. Tommy McCallion responded by finding similar space in the opposite end but James Taylor handled it around the corner.

When the sides met in September, Glentoran were perhaps lucky to have pocketed three league points after defeating the Bannsiders 2-1 in a relatively balanced game and this evening's encounter was just as tensely contested.

Platt will not be hastily forgetting Glentoran since his side face the table toppers on Saturday in the next Premiership fixture. He also conceded that Hill was unfortunate with his dismissal. "Young Stephen Dooley was just a bit quick for Jason Hill and although it did not look malicious, we are fortunate that Stephen was not injured," he said. "I am certainly very pleased with the performance and we'll all be immediately returning to concentrate once again on the league, and welcome Glentoran to the Showgrounds on Saturday when we hope to field a fully fit squad."