Peter Campbell calm for key moment in high-tempo Glenavon display

On an afternoon defined by Glenavon’s high energy and hard pressing, Peter Campbell proved calm in the eye of the storm to give his side the lead from the heart of the penalty area.
Peter Campbell celebrates moving Glenavon into a 2-1 lead over Crusaders on Saturday. Pic by PressEye Ltd.Peter Campbell celebrates moving Glenavon into a 2-1 lead over Crusaders on Saturday. Pic by PressEye Ltd.
Peter Campbell celebrates moving Glenavon into a 2-1 lead over Crusaders on Saturday. Pic by PressEye Ltd.

The summer signing drifted into space inside the box before collecting and converting Sean Ward’s sliderule pass thanks to a composed and clinical low strike off a split-second but decisive delay.

Campbell’s slick strike helped Glenavon gain reward for a superb response to early frustration at both Crusaders breaking the deadlock then having a home goal ruled out.

Campbell’s colleague on the opposite flank, Jack O’Mahony, forced home an equaliser before the former Loughgall winger added another Glenavon goal to his bright start in the Danske Bank Premiership. Matthew Fitzpatrick’s close-range finish proved the fitting finale to an explosive display by the Lurgan Blues.

“I had gone over to the right for the throw-in and then when Sean Ward got the ball maybe that’s why I had space as no-one knew to pick me up on that side of the pitch,” said Campbell. “It was a great ball then the Crusaders player was in front of me when I was coming in so I did a fake shot and it opened up some space.

“I was able to get it out of my feet and get off a quick shot.

“You see that in the Premier League with someone like Mason Greenwood and it doesn’t give the keeper time to react.

“That’s where I want to be, in the box and scoring goals.

“I had chances before to go to other clubs from Loughgall but never felt ready and now I do, I’m loving it at Glenavon and feel really settled.

“There are so many experienced players around me too helping me.

“You have Michael O’Connor with his Northern Ireland caps and I used to watch Robert Garrett when he was playing for Portadown and now I’m beside him in the same side with Glenavon.

“Up front you see the hard work put in by Danny Purkis and Matthew Fitzpatrick, it’s unbelievable the non-stop running and you know when you get the ball you’ll always have an outlet.”

Saturday marked the first run of behind-closed-doors Premiership fixtures due to NI Executive guidelines relating to the coronavirus pandemic.

“When you get the ball you normally feel that buzz off the crowd as a winger and the fans lift you,” said Campbell. “But it’s the same for both teams so we just have to get on with it.

“Today we played with so much energy and pace that maybe you didn’t have time to think as much about the crowd situation.

“Crusaders scored early on but we feel we dominated.

“We had chances in the first half to equalise so the half-time talk was to just keep building the pressure and push on.

“We wanted to get on top of Crusaders and pressed from minute one, then you’ve chances on the break which suits me to get the ball and drive at defenders or attack the space.

“We had a gameplan and stuck to it.”

GLENAVON: Tuffey, Larmour, Doyle, Purkis (Jenkins, 85), Campbell, O’Connor, Fitzpatrick, O’Mahony (Byrne, 74), Singleton, Garrett, Ward.

Subs: Hall, Moorhouse, Harmon, Norton, Rea

CRUSADERS: Doherty, Hegarty, Wilson, Lowry, Kennedy, McGonigle, Hale (Clarke, 59), Forsythe, Lecky (Owens, 59), Ruddy (Brown, 63), Thompson.

Subs: Cushley, Caddell, Heatley

Referee: Ian McNabb

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