Player-manager Gary Hamilton must resign himself to watching from the sidelines for a few weeks as he recovers from a hamstring strain that he picked up against Coleraine and which forced him off just 23 minutes into last Saturday’s game against Donegal Celtic. He will also be without the services of midfielder Niall Henderson who starts a two game ban after totting up 10 cautions.

Teenage striker Andrew Mitchell makes his full League debut tomorrow. Photo by Alan Weir.

Hamilton was impressed with young striker Andrew Mitchell when he bagged two goals in the recent Mid Ulster Cup semi final and again after he replaced the boss on Saturday. Gary says that the Waringstown teenager will make his League debut from the start of tomorrow’s vital game.  ”Andrew was in the top three players in last week’s performance and, as I’ve said before, if you play well, you keep your place. Andrew has come on after 20 minutes and he could easily have walked off with three or four goals. He got himself in some good positions and I think, as it was his first real game, maybe there was a wee bit of nervousness. I’ve seen him play in three games before and he scored six goals. One of the best things in his game was the finishing – he never seemed to miss! If he keeps getting into those positions he will score goals and there’s no knowing what he could achieve if he works hard and keeps doing what he’s doing.”

Every match from now until the end of the season will be a ‘big game’, according to Gary.”Every game is going to be vital and every point we get will be vital. That’s the way it’s going to be and tomorrow is no different.

“We can’t keep putting pressure on the boys. They have to go out and play and enjoy themselves and try and get a result. I’ll always take an average performance and a 1-0 win but I’d be more pleased if the boys go out and express themselves, play well and come away with the win as well. That’s more pleasing as a manager but in the situation we’re in, if we play terrible but show mental strength and mental toughness from now until the end of the season and grind out 1-0 or 2-1 victories, then I’ll be more than happy.”

New signing striker Matty Burrows will start on the bench tomorrow. “I hope we don’t need it tomorrow but Matty had a habit at Glentoran of coming off the bench to score important goals,” Gary told us.

Mourneview Park was the scene back in August for Carrick Rangers’ first ever win in the Carling Premiership, the visitors taking a two goal lead despite Glenavon dominating the opening half before an Andy Graham goal which only proved a late consolation. Since then Michael Hughes has taken over the managerial reins from Stephen Small and the former Northern Ireland International will be hoping for a similar result tomorrow.

Glenavon Squad

From: Coleman, O’Hare, Convery, Grieve, Jay Magee, Neill, Shannon, Turkington, Cherry, Doherty, Hagan, McCaul, Rooney, Burrows, Grant, Mitchell.

Match Officials: B. Turkington, R. Storey, J. McElholm, A. Hunter

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