The Bannsiders got off to an ideal start after just 73 seconds when Darren Boyce get on the end of a Rory Patterson ball over the top of the defenceto direct it past United 'keeper Sean O'Neill.

It got worse for the visitors on 31 minutes when defender Chris Ramsey was dismissed by referee Alan Black for a foul on Patterson but despite their numerical disadvantage almost levelled early in the second half when Michael Smith set up Kevin Kelbie only for the Scot's lob to come off the crossbar.

But United did equalise on the hour mark courtesy of substitute David Cushley who slotted the ball confidently past Davy O'Hare after Noel Anderson had touched on an Albert Watson punt forward.

The visitors were rocked, though, 13 minutes later when Anderson became their second player to take an early bath for diving after he had been brought down inside the area by Kyle McVey, earning him a second booking of the game.

Coleraine made the most of their greater numbers and duly regained the lead within four minutes thanks to a low Stephen Carson drive after collecting the ball from Patterson.

And they made sure of the points with three minutes remaining with Patterson again being involved, this time when he provided Stephen Dooley with the telling ball to beat O'Neill with an angled drive.