The Blues slipped from top spot although they still have a game to spare over new leaders Cliftonville while the Bannsiders moved above Dungannon Swifts into fifth spot and, perhaps more crucially, opened up a considerable gap on those battling to claim a top six place.

Patterson, now with 31 goals to his credit this season, got the ball rolling on 39 minutes when he got on the end of a Stephen Dooley through ball to calmly take the ball round 'keeper Alan Blayney and deposit it in the unguarded net.

Then, barely two minutes later, Gibson - only on the pitch a matter of minutes - doubled Coleraine's lead with a tap-in after Blayney pushed out a Stephen Carson cross.

But, amazingly, the Bannsiders weren't finished there and duly made it 3-0 within a couple of minutes of the second half after Patterson pounced on a botched Stephen Douglas back pass to lob the ball past Blayney.

Linfield began their attempted fight back on 50 minutes from the spot when Jim Ervin successfully converted a penalty awarded after John Watt was adjudged to have brought down Mark McAllister.

Despite their best efforts, though, the Blues failed to reduce the deficit further and, indeed, shipped a fourth goal on 82 minutes when Dooley crossed from the right flank for Gibson to knock the ball home.

However, within a minute, McAllister unleashed a well struck volley past Davy O'Hare to give Linfield a glimmer of hope going into the closing minutes.

Granted, they did give it a go with O'Hare forced into tipping another McAllister effort over soon after while Thompson threatened in stoppage time but the task proved ultimately beyond them.