Second half revival earnsvictory for the reserves

Lisburn Distillery Reserves 1

GLENAVON’S reserve side continued their bright start to the season with a narrow 2-1 victory at home to Lisburn Distillery on Saturday.

A slow start meant Gerard McMahon’s men were 1-0 down at the break but a rallying second half performance led to a 2-1 victory that kept them second in the IFA Reserve League table.

McMahon, a boss with high standards for his young side, wasn’t totally content with the performance but was glad that his half-time changes had a positive effect.

“Overall, it was a decent performance, not great. I expect a bit more from them but maybe I’m expecting too much,” he said.

“We were 1-0 down at half-time but then we changed the formation and we turned it round and managed to hold on.

“We didn’t play great in the first half and we were having problems with our wingers but at half-time we put Francis Brennan back to right-back. Niall Devlin came on and did very well on the wing, having a hand in both goals. It all worked out in the end.

“Niall picked up a knock a couple of weeks ago and that’s why he was on the bench but he came on in the second half and played well. He put the cross in for the winning goal for Kevin Hagan to head in. Kevin did very well too and took his goal well.

“Mark Turkington was our only first team player and he did well. He played at left full-back and was solid. He got 90 minutes in so he’s getting there.

“Ciaran Doherty got his first full game of the season too and he had a good game. He came more into it in the second half when Anto McGonnell came in beside him. They both complimented each other. They both keep the ball and are good passers of it.

“We had a few players out as Mark Carson, Ryan Murphy and Scott Adams were out injured and Marty (Quinn) had Cameron Grieve and Chris Lavery with the first team so that’s five players missing.”

The Reserves’ next game is against Glentoran this Saturday at Mourneview Park (kick-off 2pm).

GLENAVON RESERVES: Wright, McGarry, Turkington, Marks, Allister, Hagan, McGonnell, Doherty, Brennan, McKee, Finlay.