Lightning start sees Blues to victory

GLENAVON boss Marty Quinn was frustrated at his side’s disjointed performance in the slight 2-1 victory over Loughgall at Lakeview Park on Saturday.

The Blues flew out of the starting blocks, going two up within 15 minutes but took the foot of the gas and in the end, could have considered themselves fortunate to win the game.

“We were excellent for 30 minutes but after that we slipped into the second gear and became very disjointed,” said Quinn

“The changes that we made along the way destroyed the rhythm and the second half was poor enough but that’s what pre-season’s all about.

“The pre-season games have been a bit frustrating as the performance levels have been high and then low but that’s the name of the game in pre-season. It’s about getting players’ fitness levels up. One or two could do a wee bit better but the majority have worked very hard in training and now the gloves are coming off.”

Glenavon had started the game in the perfect fashion taking the lead after just 41 seconds through Mark Miskimmin. The lively striker played a neat one-two with Tony Grant before cutting inside and delivering a right foot shot into the bottom corner.

And Glenavon looked all set to kick on from that opening as they continued to press the home side’s defence. On nine minutes Miskimmin skipped past Darragh Peden, cut inside and rifled a tight-angled effort just over the bar in what would have been a fantastic goal. That move all came from a neat defensive header from Cameron Grieve who put in a sterling performance at left-back.

Stuart King then headed wide from a deep Brendan Shannon cross before Jay Magee doubled the scoring. The defender got on the end of James Costello’s right wing cross and his header fired past a helpless Marc Robinson.

However after that promising 15 minutes for Marty Quinn’s men, it was Loughgall who dominated.

They could even have got one back shortly after Magee’s header when Paul Brown found himself with the ball at his feet six yards from goal. However trialist keeper Lee Windrum got down quickly to block the shot and was again called into action soon after.

Bryan Pentland’s run ended with a low shot that was tipped away by Windrum with Cameron Grieve nicking the rebound off the foot of an attacker, but only as far as Paul Brown who shot over from 10 yards out.

Niall Currie’s side did get a goal back a minute before the break through former Glenavon man David Hawthorne. The midfielder unlocked his old side’s defence with a one-two with Dean Smith before tucking the ball into the bottom corner.

The first half ended with two tasty tackles from Barry Johnston as the game threatened to boil over. The feisty midfielder was then withdrawn at the interval.

However the second period also so a reduction in the chance of another goal as neither side really looked like scoring although Loughgall had more of the play.

The few opportunities that did come about were all for the home side but all were subsequently squandered. David Hawthorne’s 18-yard effort was well blocked by Windrum before Dean Smith missed a better chance when he failed to make good contact with his close range header from Andy Smith’s cross.

The hosts had looked to have gained a late equaliser when Dean Smith got on the end of Shea McGerrigan’s left wing cross but Jay Magee popped up at the last second to block the effort on the line and ensure his side came out of their last pre-season game with a win.

Loughall: Robinson, Pentland, Alderdice, Peden, Waddell, Moffett, Hawthorne, A Smith, Kingsberry, McDowell, D. Smith

Glenavon: Windrum (Plummer 78), Grieve (King 56), Magee, Haughey, Shannon (McKerr 46), King (Neill 46), Walsh (Harper 56), Johnston (Harpur 46), Costello, Grant (Campbell 56), Miskimmin (McKee 78).