Narrowly beaten by champs

TEN-MAN Glenavon slumped to a lacklustre defeat to Linfield at Mourneview Park on Tuesday night.

The Lurgan Blues rarely threatened their opponent’s goal and lost out to a 34th minute deflected Mark McAllister effort. To cap off a frustrating evening for the Blues, playmaker Trevor Molloy was given a straight red card on 64 minutes after standing on Linfield’s Jamie Mulgrew.

The game had started brightly for Marty Quinn’s men and they even had all of the early chances.

In the very first minute Trevor Molloy struck a low free-kick at goal but Alan Blayney got down to make a good stop at the bottom corner.

Tony Grant then spurned a good opportunity when he was played through by Willo McDonagh. The veteran striker’s first touch forced him wide and he could only scuff a shot across goal.

In a flurry of early chances Mark Miskimmin fired over from Trevor Molloy’s cross before Tony Grant’s overhead kick was gathered by Blayney.

Linfield finally managed to get a grip on the game after about 15 minutes and pressured Glenavon’s defence but only mustered one chance when Peter Thompson didn’t connect properly with a close range header. However it rebounded out to the striker and just yards from goal he was hacked down by Kyle Neill. Referee Mark Courtney looked at his assistant. Verdict: no penalty, much to the dismay of the travelling support.

Glenavon rushed straight up the pitch and a minute later could have opened the scoring themselves. Mark Miskimmin’s cross was headed towards goal by Trevor Molloy only for Alan Blayney to save well and somehow keep out the winger’s rebound too.

The home side would pay for the missed opportunity as Linfield took a 34th minute lead. Michael Gault saw his low effort from the edge of the box blocked but it then fell to Mark McAllister who powered a deflected effort past Andy Plummer.

Linfield kept piling on the pressure and could have extended the lead but Robert Garrett shot straight at Plummer from outside the box before Curtis Allen’s deflected shot was well saved by the goalkeeper.

At the other end a mishit Brendan Shannon cross fell onto the roof of the net and so Linfield went in 1-0 up at the break.

The Belfast side started the second half much the way they had finished the first with Andy Plummer forced into regular action. The goalkeeper had to tip Jim Ervin’s header wide before Chris Casement’s dipping effort was also pushed past the post. Peter Thompson was next to see an effort denied as his header was well pushed over the bar.

Glenavon forced an effort in the 54th minute as Mark Miskimmin poked Stuart King’s cross at goal. The effort didn’t have enough power to trouble Alan Blayney but eight minutes later Trevor Molloy’s certainly would have, had it not flown narrowly over the bar.

Things soon turned sour for the Glenavon winger as he was given his marching orders a minute later for a stamp on Jamie Mulgrew after he had fouled the Linfield midfielder.

The home side did push to try and get the equaliser although they failed to muster any real chances. Meanwhile, Linfield looked likely to score on the break but Curtis Allen’s rifled effort at the back post was brilliantly pushed onto the bar before substitute Philip Lowry fired wide from 20 yards out.

The current champions then closed out the victory fairly easily and left Glenavon badly needing victory at Newry City on Friday to get themselves back on track.

Glenavon: Plummer, Shannon (Harpur 79), Neill, Magee, McDonagh, Molloy, King, Walsh, Stewart (Harper 66), Miskimmin, Grant (Costello 83). Unused subs: Haughey, Grieve

Linfield: Blayney, Armstrong, Gault, Curran, Ervin, Casement, Mulgrew (Lowry 79), Garrett, McAllister (Carvill 79), Allen, Thompson. Unused subs: Bailie, Tomelty, Munster.