Dismal day and defeat by basement club

Another lacklustre performance by the visiting side led them to a dismal 2-1 defeat which handed Distillery their first league win since October.

The Whites were spirited and clearly hungrier for the result as Glenavon, who lacked any real width, could muster little other than Mark Farren’s first half goal.

The Blues have now been defeated by all three of their fellow bottom four sides since the turn of the year and while those sorts of performances and results continue, progress will be difficult.

Right from the off, it seemed evident that Glenavon would struggle. They failed to create any scoring chances in the opening half hour while Distillery had forced a save from stand-in keeper Davey O’Hare. A quick free-kick caught Glenavon napping but Michael Moore couldn’t find a way past O’Hare.

Soon after, recent signing Aaron Boyd was inches away from giving the Whites the lead. Kris Lindsay sliced a clearance on Andy Hunter’s cross and Boyd flung himself towards it put couldn’t provide the vital touch at the back post.

Glenavon finally had a shot on 33 minutes as Ciaran Martyn smashed an effort over the bar but it didn’t take long for Distillery to take a deserved lead.

It was worth the wait too as a delightfully skilful lay-off from Boyd teed up Scott Davidson who caressed a neat left-foot finish into the bottom corner.

Their lead lasted just six minutes and Glenavon’s equaliser was equally as well worked. Kyle Neill dummied a free-kick an Hamilton slid the ball to him down the left-wing. Unmarked, he was afforded the space to cross to Mark Farren and the former Derry City man made no mistake, nodding home at the front post to bag his third goal for the club.

Michael Moore should, however, have restored Distillery’s lead in first-half stoppage time. A free-kick was swung in and after some pinball in the Glenavon box, Moore headed onto the crossbar before lashing the rebound over the bar from close range.

The second half offered little in terms of entertainment or goalmouth action, both sides only creating one real chance each. The difference in how those chances were taken proved to be the difference in the overall result as Distillery put theirs in the back of the net and Glenavon’s was saved.

The winning goal came on 75 minutes, Boyd getting the goal his efforts deserved. Jonny Harkness swung in a corner kick and Boyd rose to nod in beyond O’Hare.

With the game drawing to a close, Guy Bates did have the chance to again draw Glenavon level as he seized on a poor back-pass from Aaron Smyth but couldn’t beat Distiller goalkeeper Lee Windrum from a tight angle.

That meant it was Glenavon’s seventh defeat in their last eight league matches.

LISBURN DISTILLERY: Windrum, Smyth, Harkness, Hunter, Davidson (McCullough 87), McCann, Moore (Hughes 75), Garrett, Gordon, Boyd, Beggs.

Unused Subs: Simpson, Halliday, Forsythe.

GLENAVON: O’Hare, Neill, Haughey, Lindsay, McCallion, Hamilton (McDaid 73), Kilmartin, Martyn (McGrory 83), Gardiner (Henderson 58), Bates, Farren.

Unused Subs: Brown, Dane.