Glenavon hoping it really is a Good Friday as Lurgan Blues take on Dungannon Swifts

Glenavon begin the run-in to the end of the season and a possible shot at European football tonight when they take on Dungannon Swifts at Mourneview Park (7.45pm).

Monday night’s win over Ballymena United has given them a healthy advantage over the chasing pack, with four points separating them from eighth placed Carrick Rangers.

In fact, Glenavon could have a spot in the play-offs wrapped up by the time they have to travel to Taylor’s Avenue in the penultimate game of the season, were they to win their next three games and Carrick were to drop points in theirs.

And who would bet against it with Gary Hamilton’s side currently enjoying fine form at the moment. Unbeaten in their last five, four wins out of four – everything is finally looking up at Mourneview Park.

“I think we found what we were looking for at the right time, coming after the run we were on and where we were all at rock bottom, scratching our heads and wondering what was going on,” Glenavon assistant boss Paul McAreavey said after Monday night’s trip to the Showgrounds.

“We changed the system, how we played, and went back to basics. As Gary always says, if things are going bad all you can do is go back to basics like you would do with anything in life and start from scratch again.

“It seems to be working, the boys are really enjoying themselves. The atmosphere in the changing room is brilliant, it’s great to see.”

Glenavon boss Gary Hamilton kept a keen eye on Saturday’s Irish Cup semi-final involving Dungannon and Crusaders, played at Mourneview Park, and will have been making notes about the first of their Easter opponents.

However, in terms of approach, you can expect to see more of the same from the Lurgan Blues.

“Dungannon is another really tough game and we’ll go into it with the same mentality that we have for the last five games,” McAreavey stated.

“It’s all about going back to basics. Don’t make mistakes. Sit as a back four, get the two sitting in front to mop up and let the three in front and the striker go and attack, keep ourselves in the game and see what happens.

“We’ve got good attacking players who can score goals, we’ve got quality who can attack set pieces or defend them really well. We’ve got Wardy playing some of the best football of his career. Danny Wallace is playing excellently at the minute, he’s been really solid. Matthew Snoddy has come in at right back and he’s been a revelation. He’s been really outstandin

“I think the majority of the squad are playing really well at the minute. I always say that if you get seven or eight playing well in a game of football you have a chance of winning it and I think at the minute we have 11 out of 11.”