For his part, Gary Haveron was left disappointed as his side let a two-goal lead slip on home turf and described the defending from his players as “pathetic”.

Before Friday’s game, Larne had only conceded three goals in their opening seven league matches.

But Coleraine’s fightback – led by Cooper, Shevlin and Doherty – meant that tally doubled in a devastating 21-minute burst.

Despite that, Haveron dismissed any notion of it being a statement win for the Bannsiders.

“We’ve still got to play them down there,” Haveron said.

“We drew the first one, they’ve won this one. There’s still a lot of games for us to play against them, and there’s lots of football between now and the end of the season.”

Larne, missing influential midfielder Chris Gallagher, will have to lick their wounds, and quickly, when they welcome fellow title challengers Linfield to Inver Park on Tuesday.

Friday’s defeat marks a disappointing week for Larne after they lost on penalties to Championship side Dundela in a penalty shooutout in the County Antrim Shield, after conceding a controversial injury-time penalty at Wilgar Park.

“It’s a great opportunity for us to bounce back from what is a disappointing week,” Haveron said about the trip to Linfield.

“I’m not bothered about Tuesday night [against Dundela], truth be told, I don’t have anything else to say about that.

“But today was bitterly disappointing because we had that game won and we should have killed it off.”