GLENAVON SLUMPS TO HEAVY DEFEAT AT LAKEVIEW PARK

GLENAVON SLUMPS TO HEAVY DEFEAT AT LAKEVIEW PARK 6n39l

Loughgall 3 Glenavon 0 5o262y

Sports Direct Irish Premiership 452l4e

Lakeview Park, Loughgall

Saturday 2nd November 2024

Despite controlling the match for long periods, Glenavon slumped to a disappointing 3-0 defeat.

Jordan Gibson (35 mins), Nathaniel Ferris (40 mins) and Jamie Rea (90+7 mins) were the men on target.

The visitors completely dominated the opening 30 minutes.

In the 11th minute Mathew Snoddy released David McDaid with a fine . The centre forward let fly from 15 yards, but Nathan Gartside saved well.

Eleven minutes later, after a succession of corner kicks, the ball broke to McDaid at the far post. However, again Gartside denied him with a stop from point blank range.

When Niall Quinn failed to control Marshall’s cross, Peter Campbell pounced on the loose ball but volleyed wide.

Loughgall, relying on long balls from back to front, slowly gained a foothold.

Conor McCloskey shot straight at Gareth Deane. Then Tiernan Kelly forced the Glenavon goalkeeper to tip his shot from 20 yards over the crossbar.

Gibson scored from the resultant corner. When the ball fell to him on the edge of the penalty area, he cleverly curled it into the net.

When David Toure found himself in space on the right, with David McDaid waiting for a inside the penalty area, he shot high and wide.

Peter Campbell also fired over the crossbar.

Nathanial Ferris scored Loughgall’s second goal when he headed Jamie Rea’s excellent cross past Deane.

Nathan Gartside moved quickly to tip Rhys Marshall’s back post header over the crossbar following Campbell’s fine cross.

In first half injury time Glenavon was awarded two free kicks on the edge of the Loughgall penalty area. Peter Campbell’s shot from the first curled inches wide; Jack Malone’s weak attempt from the second was saved easily.

Loughgall squandered a great chance to make it 3-0 at the start of the second half. McDermott crossed from the right, but Balde headed wide from point blank range.

Peter Campbell momentarily found himself in spacebehind the home side’s defence. However, he elected to move the ball to the right and the attack broke down.

When McCloskey crossed from the right, Balde failed to get a touch and the chance was gone.

Niall Quinn’s corner kick found Peter Campbell unmarked at the back post. The Richhill man made a clean connection, but Gartside saved.

Glenavon continued to attack relentlessly without reward.

When Snoddy’s shot was blocked, Len O’Sullivan fired wide. Quinn picked out Campbell again, but the left winger was crowded out and the chance was gone.

In the closing minutes Stephen McDonnell brought on Mark Haughey as a makeshift striker.

When Doran crossed from the right, McDaid connected at the near post but a combination of the excellent Gartside and the post kept the ball out.

Deep in injury time Jamie Rea scored the home side’s third when he burst through on the left and shot past Deane.

LOUGHGALL: Gartside, McDermott, Rea, Cartwright, Francis, Kelly, Waide, Norton, Gibson, Ferris, McCloskey, SUBS: Turker (not used), Murdock for McDermott (81 mins), McAleer (not used), Alberto Balde Almanzar for Waide (24 mins), Boyd for Ferris (72 mins), Harvey (not used), Towe for McCloskey (81 mins).

Yellow Cards: McDermott (45+4’), Cartwright (61’), Ferris (65’), Boyd (86’), Kelly (90+6’).

GLENAVON: Deane, Toure, O’Sullivan, Marshall, Carroll, McKeown, Malone, Snoddy, McDaid, Campbell, Quinn, SUBS: Byrne (not used), Haughey for Campbell (82 mins), Doona for Marshall (74 mins), Lynch (not used), O’Connor for Carroll (59 mins), Ward for Malone (59 mins), Doran for Snoddy (74 mins).