Magic Mick helps Glenavon to third win on the bounce

Glenavon 2–1 Coleraine

Glenavon have moved up to seventh place in the Danske Bank Premiership with a home victory over Coleraine.

The Lurgan Blues are now unbeaten in their last nine games against the Bannsiders, a run which stretches back to March 2020.

They are also celebrating going four games unbeaten for the first time since October and November last year. Gary Hamilton’s side have now taken 10 points out of the last available 12 – some turnaround for a team who had a winless streak running into double figures only a few weeks ago.

With Larne seeing off Ballymena United on St Patrick’s Night and Glentoran putting four past Carrick Rangers on Saturday, Glenavon are now in the driving seat for the final European play-off spot. Crucially, a win next week for the Lurgan Blues over the Sky Blues at the Showgrounds would knock United virtually out of the running for seventh, with Carrick due to go to Crusaders on the same day.

On this occasion, inspired substitutions by Glenavon boss Hamilton changed the game, with Mick O’Connor playing a part in the equaliser before scoring what proved to be the winning goal.

Glenavon started with one change from the team which defeated Glentoran last week – Conor McCloskey started in place of Mick O’Connor.

Jack O’Mahony and Andrew Scott came in for the Bannsiders in place of Lyndon Kane and Lee Lynch.

There was an early chance for the hosts when Jamie Doran knocked a forward ball into the path of Conor McCloskey. He dragged his half volley wide of the target.

Glenavon were looking more confident as the first half played out and Gareth Deane was forced into making a diving save when Matthew Fitzpatrick fired at goal on 17 minutes following good build-up play by the Lurgan Blues.

But it was the Bannsiders who would take the lead with 26 minutes on the clock with Andy Scott scoring his first goal for the Showgrounds outfit. He capitalised on a slip by Rory Brown and really couldn’t miss with an an empty net in front of him.

Conor McKendry could have added a second 10 minutes later when he turned inside the box and hit a low shot on target, but Brown got down low to save.

Glenavon tried to get back on level terms at the start of the second half through Fitzpatrick. He connected with a cross from Issac Baird but his header was straight into Deane’s hands.

Then a Conor McCloskey free kick on the edge of the box crept through the Coleraine wall, with Deane pushing the effort away. Fitzpatrick recovered possession and pulled the ball back to Danny Wallace, but his shot was deflected wide for a corner. It found Jamie Doran, who turned the ball towards goal, only for Jack O’Mahony to clear it off the line.

Eamon Fyfe had his shot parried by Brown on 62 minutes, with the ball falling to Matthew Shevlin on the edge of the six yard box. Fortunately for the hosts, Sean Ward was in the right place at the right time to block a certain goal.

Gary Hamilton made a double substitution, bringing on Aaron Prendergast and Mick O’Connor and they both made an impact within minutes of coming on. A lovely bit of skill from the former Northern Ireland international allowed the ball to find Prendergast, whose cross found Fitzpatrick on the penalty spot. His header levelled the scores.

Fitzpatrick, and the Glenavon bench, felt they should have a penalty with 13 minutes left to play when the striker was bundled over in the box. However, referee Jamie Robinson waved play on.

Moments later a Robbie Garrett cross found Fitzpatrick, with Deane having to be at full stretch to pluck the forward’s header out of the air.

Glenavon took the lead on 84 minutes through O’Connor when Doran found Fitzpatrick, who knocked the ball back to the midfielder, who lashed the ball home from the edge of the box.

And they could have had a third when Fitzpatrick cracked a shot at goal from 20 yards out, only for it to go just wide of the mark.

Coleraine looked for a late leveller through Shevlin but he was unable to get his shot on target.

Glenavon: Brown, Snoddy, Fitpatrick, Baird, McCloskey (Prendergast 64), Wallace, Doran (Doyle 90+1), Rogers, Garrett, Malone (O’Connor 64), Ward. Subs not used: Matthews, Kerr, Norton, Lynch.

Coleraine: Deane, Jarvis, McKendry (Fyfe 59), Carson, Farren, O’Donnell, Glackin, O’Mahony (Lynch 79), McDermott, Shevlin, Scott. Subs not used: Gallagher, Mullan, Brown, McCrudden, Doherty.

Referee: Jamie Robinson