Marc Brown’s spectacular goal against Ballymena Utd last Saturday will be featured in SOCCER AM on Sky Sports/Sky Sports (Showboat section) on Saturday next. The programme runs from 10 am to noon.
Surely a contender for goal of the season! Marc Brown scores with this overhead kick. Photo by Russell Stewart
As publicized in the Lurgan Mail last week, Glenavon is urgently calling on the public to get behind the club and help find £30,000 so they can meet their financial requirements before the end of the season.
A series of fund raising events are lined up but club directors stressed this week their appeal really goes out to the whole of Lurgan and not just the loyal band of fans who support the club on a regular basis.
“We need the people of Lurgan to come out and make a financial contribution essentially to help us keep Premier League football in the town,” said club chairman Adrian Teer.
Club treasurer, Frazer Follis, said it costs £290,000 a year to run the club. “That is what we need to operate. We have to work extremely hard to keep going. The easy and ruthless solution would be to cut the wages budget even further, but that is not an option if we want to try and give the fans a strong and competitive team and that is what we want to do for as long as possible.”
No changes to the Glenavon line-up; not surprising in view of Saturday’s big win against Ballymena United.
Nigel Law reflects on what might have been (Audio)
Mark Farren probably wasn’t expecting the ball to reach him from Guy Bates second minute cross and he was slow to react and the chance was gone.
Jay Magee headed Stephen Carson’s free kick over two minutes later and in the 15th minute Colin Nixon exchanged passes with Andy Waterworth before scooping the striker’s low cross over the bar from 12 yards.
Jimmy Callacher put an overhead kick wide in the 18th minute as he got on the end of Carson’s free kick. A minute later Farren put Bates’ cross back into the danger area and Kris Lindsay headed goal wards only for Kyle Neill to get in the way and inadvertently clear it.
Bates had a 28th minute penalty saved by Elliott Morris. Referee Alan Black awarded the spot kick as Kyle Neill’s in-swinging corner came in from the right but it wasn’t clear what the infringement was though he seemed to caution Jimmy Callacher in the aftermath. It may have been given for a push?
Waterworth broke the deadlock in the 67th minute as the ball broke for him between two Glenavon defenders. Five minutes earlier Ciaran Martyn had seen a low shot finger-tipped round the post by Morris as he ran onto Brendan Shannon’s through ball. The ex Glens midfielder had headed over from 10 yards out in the centre of the goalmouth moments before that.
Carson doubled the lead five minutes later with a 25 yard free kick that went in off the inside of the post then Davy O’Hare made a great save to palm away Waterworth’s shot after the Glens striker raced clear a minute after the second goal.
Martyn pulled a goal back in stoppage time when he stroked home from Gary Hamilton’s cross after the boss bent his run to stay onside from Haughey’s ball over the top.
There was little to choose between the sides and in the final analysis, only Elliott Morris’s save from Guy Bates’ first half penalty and a cracking free kick from Stephen Carson denied Glenavon a share of the points.
Glentoran: Morris, Nixon (c), R Clarke (Howland 90), Magee, Ward, Hill, Carson, M Clarke, McAlorum, Callacher (O’Hanlon HT), Waterworth. Subs not used: McComb, McCullough, Bradley
Glenavon: O’Hare, Shannon (c), Lindsay, Haughey, McCallion, Neill, Kilmartin (Doherty 81) , Martyn, Brown (McGrory 28), Farren, Bates (Hamilton 81). Subs not used: Hagan, Turkington.
Referee: Alan Black
The sponsors for Saturday’s 7-0 win against Ballymena United would certainly have enjoyed their day!
Glenavon Director Stevie Campbell and Secretary Leigh Stewart thank the representatives of the Mechanics Institute for their Match Sponsorship. Pictured are Bobby Archer, Don Corkin, Paul Gregson and Freddie Bunting. Photo by Russell Stewart
Glenavon Director Julie Harvey with Man of the Match sponsor Ian Irwin presenting Marc Brown with his champagne. Photo by Russell Stewart.
There were five ‘Match 3′ winners tonight. Next week the Jackpot will be worth a nice round £2000!
