COAGH United kept up their Ladbrokes.com Championship title challenge with this defeat of basement boys Killymoon Rangers at Hagan Park.

United move into joint second with Portadown with the same number of matches played while Donegal Celtic are three points adrift but do have a game in hand. Ballinamallard United are holding onto top spot but have an extra match played so its still all to play for as we move into the second half of the season.

Both teams struggled to get into any sort of rhythm on the excellent Hagan Park surface, Coagh huffed and puffed to get the win while Killymoon shot themselves in the foot by having two men sent off in the second half.

In the end the home side just about did enough to get the win but it took a top drawer save from Johnny Pollock to keep the visitors from getting a point. While Killymoon are still looking for their first League win of the season and on this form it will come sooner than later.

Coagh took control from the kick off, forcing the first corner which saw Steven Hawe head over Stuart Dallas' cross. Andy Hamilton had his shot cleared off the line while at the other end Killymoon's long throw specialist David McMullan caused a stir in the home defence with an excellent throw from just over the half way line.

Coagh's first real chance came on 12 minutes, Aaron Thornton just had a free kick deflected but Dallas picked up the loose ball and found Scott McCordick in space but the forward put his shot wide off the oncoming Maguire.

From the kick out McElhatton was fouled right on the edge of Coagh's penalty box but James Ferguson failed to get this good chance on target, firing the ball well over Pollock's cross bar.

McCordick missed another glorious chance for Coagh on 17 minutes after McMenemy conjured up the chance while at the other end McMullan ran clear only to see Pollock save at his feet.

The home side finally broke the deadlock on 23 minutes. Hamilton's through ball saw the Killymoon keeper fumble Randal Reid's fierce shot with the alert McCordick on hand to slot home the rebound.

From the restart the impressive Warren Smith locked onto a Coagh defensive mistake but Coagh's James Wardell reacted quickly and made the decisive tackle and cleared the danger.

Smith was again alert to Coagh's mistakes, running clear but this time shot wide off the post and moments later the visitors danger man rattled the crossbar after a good break and pass from Johnny Young. Both sides missed chances coming up to the break but it was Coagh who went in the happier with a 1-0 lead at half time.

The visitors stunned the home crowd at the start of the second half when two ex-Coagh players combined for the equalizer. James Ferguson run and cross was headed home by Johnny Young at the back post to send the visiting crowd wild but their celebrations were marred moments later when Steven McElhatton, who was already booked, was red carded after an incident Dallas, who also received a booking.

The home side took the advantage eight minutes later in a training ground routine. From a free kick just outside Killymoon's penalty area, Thornton and McCordick combined to set up James Wardell for an easy tap in at the back post.

From the restart Coagh should have sealed the match but Maguire in the visitor's goal made a stunning save, touching McCordick's shot onto the post to keep his team in with a chance. All credit to the visitors ten men they worked hard and nearly caught Coagh on the break but Johnny Pollock pulled off one of the best saves ever seen at Hagan Park when he got up to push Warren Smith's well executed volley over the bar.

In a nail biting finale Killymoon saw Kyle Ferguson's shot cleared off the line but Ferguson turned villain moments later when a professional foul on Dallas saw him receive a straight red from the referee on 90 minutes.

As the game faded out Dallas poked a half chance wide while Martin forced a save from Pollock. In the end Coaghs two goals were enough to take the points and move them into joint second with Portadown while Killymoon are still waiting for their first elusive win but on this form it will come sooner than later.