League leaders Coleraine made it five wins in a row with a hard-earned 1-0 home win over a battling Limavady United at the Ballycastle Road Showgrounds to move three points clear at the summit.

The only goal of the game came on the stroke of half-time as Joel Cooper got on the end of a slide-rule Dylan Boyle pass to score his second goal of the campaign.

The Coleraine captain had further chances to find the net after half-time but found the opposition defence in defiant mood.

Limavady's chances were few and far between but they did cause a scare in the dying moments with a late flurry.

The victory stretches Coleraine's unbeaten run to 15 games.

The hosts were on the front foot from the off and Adam Brooks had two good opportunities inside the opening few minutes.

First, poor control let him down when played through by Aidan Wilson before he headed wide when well placed from a Lewis McGregor cross.

Will Patching blazed a 25 yard free-kick high over the crossbar while Cooper fired wide following a patient home build-up.

At the other end, a timely block from Wilson denied John Butcher following a long throw.

Coleraine defender Cameron Stewart tried his luck from distance but his effort was comfortably dealt with by Marty Gallagher.

However, the visiting goalkeeper was powerless to prevent Coleraine going in front on the stroke of half-time.

Dylan Boyle picked out the run of Cooper with a defence-splitting pass and the skipper did the rest, sliding the ball under the body of Gallagher.

The former Linfield player almost added a second shortly after the restart but his left foot effort went high over the crossbar while another effort after a mazy run was deflected wide of the target.

Coleraine continued to dominate possession and Ben Doherty thought he had scored in the closing minutes but his effort from a narrow angle went the wrong side of a post.

There was a late scare for the home side when goalkeeper Lewis Webb raced out of his goal but the visitors were unable to capitalise.

Coleraine head coach Ruaidhri Higgins: "I was happy enough with us in the first half, I thought there was a purpose about our play and I thought we tried to penetrate them.

'They came here with a clear plan to sit in and block spaces, and they did it quite well to a point, but if we had taken more care there was more goals in it for us.

"Second half we were a side that I certainly don't like seeing, there was an entitlement about our play and it just wasn't good enough. We were miles off it in the second half and made the evening a lot tougher than it should have been.

"This was an extremely dangerous fixture and we were miles off what I expect of this team. Yes, we got the points and it's three wins in eight days, which is a credit to the players, but I won't accept that level of performance in the second half."

Limavady head coach Paul Owens: "I'm very proud of my players and my squad but we don't want to get into the habit of patting the players on the back after a defeat.

"But to come here with Stevie Lowry suspended and a couple of boys who can't play against Coleraine, who have been real star performers, and to have Coleraine pinned back in the closing minutes it's a really big effort.

"I've talked about trying to get momentum and I don't leaving here tonight will break that momentum. We've nothing but positives from that performance even though Coleraine deserved to win.

"We tried to something a little bit different tonight and hit them on the break and hopefully we can bounce into next Saturday with confidence still high."

Coleraine head coach Ruaidhri Higgins: "I was happy enough with us in the first half, I thought there was a purpose about our play and I thought we tried to penetrate them.

'They came here with a clear plan to sit in and block spaces, and they did it quite well to a point, but if we had taken more care there was more goals in it for us.

"Second half we were a side that I certainly don't like seeing, there was an entitlement about our play and it just wasn't good enough. We were miles off it in the second half and made the evening a lot tougher than it should have been.

"This was an extremely dangerous fixture and we were miles off what I expect of this team. Yes, we got the points and it's three wins in eight days, which is a credit to the players, but I won't accept that level of performance in the second half."

Limavady head coach Paul Owens: "I'm very proud of my players and my squad but we don't want to get into the habit of patting the players on the back after a defeat.

"But to come here with Stevie Lowry suspended and a couple of boys who can't play against Coleraine, who have been real star performers, and to have Coleraine pinned back in the closing minutes it's a really big effort.

"I've talked about trying to get momentum and I don't leaving here tonight will break that momentum. We've nothing but positives from that performance even though Coleraine deserved to win.

"We tried to something a little bit different tonight and hit them on the break and hopefully we can bounce into next Saturday with confidence still high."