Coleraine moved to within three points of second place in the table after a 2-0 victory over Crusaders at The Showgrounds.
Goals in either half by Aaron Jarvis and Evan McLaughlin sealed a fourth win on the bounce for the Bannsiders.
But they were made to work all the way by the visitors, who would have left wondering how they didn't get on the score sheet.
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The Crues were the last team to beat the Bannsiders, coming out 2-1 winners at The Showgrounds when the two sides last met back at the start of November.
Since then Coleraine have gone five games unbeaten and reached the final of the League Cup.
Crusaders have been in good form themselves despite a horrendous injury list, and recorded an impressive 3-2 win over Glentoran last Saturday.
They were boosted by the return of defender Josh Robinson, who was making his first start after suffering a horrific cheekbone injury against Linfield back in September.
The big defender found himself a goal behind 12 minutes into his return though.
The home side were awarded a free kick 20 yards out after Declan Caddell had brought down Jamie Glackin.
Josh Carson stepped up and crashed a shot off the face of the bar, with Jarvis reacting quickest to head home as the Crues appealed for offside.
Crusaders finally threatened before the half hour as Adam Lecky flicked on Jordan Forsythe's cross, but the header flew the wrong side of the post.
That lifted the visitors with Billy Joe Burns and Philip Lowry both going close to an equaliser as we moved towards half time.
The Seaview men started the second half with similar intent as Stephen Baxter threw teenage striker Jay Boyd into the fray in the search for a leveller.
It took a great tackle from Jarvis to deny Philip Lowry a tap in as the Crues forced an early corner after the restart before Gareth Deane was forced to deal with a Paul Heatley effort from outside the box.
For all the threat Crusaders had posed it was the hosts who scored again somewhat against the run of play just past the hour mark.
Glackin sent Dean Jarvis away down the left, and he drilled a low ball into the box for McLaughlin to find the net with the aid of a deflection off Lowry.
The visitors had a shout for a penalty with 16 minutes to go as Clarke's cross struck Jarvis on the hand, referee Evan Boyce though was unmoved as play was allowed to continue.
Before the end Heatley should have done better with a shot from the edge of the box as time ran out for the men from the Shore Road.
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