NIFL Premiership

Cliftonville 2-1 Glenavon 

Cliftonville returned to winning ways after carving out a 2-1 victory over Glenavon at Solitude on Saturday afternoon.

The Reds were in control in the opening half and goals from Aaron Donnelly and Ryan Curran put them into a 2-0 half-time lead. Peter Campbell headed one back early in the second period for the Lurgan Blues who couldn’t force the equaliser despite some late pressure. 

Cliftonville manager Paddy McLaughlin was delighted with his side’s sensational first-half showing and equally pleased that they battled in the second period when they were under the cosh. 

“You’re always happy with a win, that’s what we come here for,” he reflected. 

“In the first-half I thought we were sensational. Some of the football we played was excellent and it’s good to get us back playing on the front foot and creating chances. We were superb and on the front four both in attacking wise and setting things up for each other – I thought they were very good.

“Obviously the game turned at half-time and Glenavon stopped the service and stopped us from playing and also put us under a lot of pressure. There were two sides to the game: the first-half great play, great football and great chances and the second-half was all about rolling our sleeves up, battling and putting our bodies on the line.” 

McLaughlin made two changes to the side that were beaten 2-0 at Windsor Park last Saturday.

Daniel Kearns came into replace Ronan Doherty and an injury to Garry Breen saw Jamie Harney return to the centre of a back four.

Glenavon almost hit the front inside of three minutes when Conor McCloskey pulled the ball across to Greg Moorhouse who shot over the bar from a promising position.

A few minutes later, Daire O’Connor sent in a high cross which just lacked a telling touch in the penalty area. 

The woodwork saved the visitors from going behind on nine minutes when a short corner between Rory Hale and Daniel Kearns saw the later float in a cross that was turned onto the bar and scrambled away by Glenavon ’keeper Craig Hyland. 

A similar strategy a few minutes later saw the hosts take the lead. Aaron Donnelly played a short corner to Rory Hale who returned the ball to Donnelly and the left-back floated in an angled cross which caught in the wind and sailed over Hyland to make it 1-0.

Robbie Garrett curled a shot wide of the post in response but at the other end, the crossbar came to Glenavon’s rescue for the second time.

Daire O’Connor fed Chris Curran on the overlap and Curran’s cross was met by namesake Ryan whose thumping header came off the bar with Paul O’Neill glancing the follow-up opportunity over.

The Reds made their pressure count and doubled their lead on 26 minutes. Aaron Donnelly’s free-kick was charged down and Rory Hale tried his luck with a stinging drive that Hyland parried; Paul O’Neill reacted quickest and hung up a cross which Ryan Curran nodded home to make it 2-0 and score his 11th of the season. 

On the half-hour mark, a goal-line clearance from Robbie Garrett prevented Jamie Harney from making it 3-0.

Glenavon almost pulled a goal back from a speculative Conor McCloskey free-kick around 35-yards out which clipped the top of the bar on its way over.

Craig Hyland prevented Ryan Curran doubling his account before the break after Rory Hale had slipped him through, but the Lurgan Blues shot-stopper parried with his leg and it was 2-0 at the interval.

Glenavon made a double change at the break, introducing Danny Purkis and Calvin Douglas and the visitors pulled a goal back early in the second-half.

Conor McCloskey saw his shot charged down and after a scramble in the area, the ball arrived to Peter Campbell who headed home at the back post to make it 2-1. The Reds’ players were furious and called for an offside flag but referee Raymond Crangle disagreed and the goal stood. 

Glenavon had a spring in their step and substitute Purkis almost had a sighting of an equaliser but for an important block from Jamie Harney.

Sixty seconds later, Cliftonville could have re-established their two goal lead when Rory Hale cut the ball back from the by-line, but Paul O’Neill couldn’t stretch his leg to turn the ball home.

The game was almost level after 82 minutes as Calvin Douglas cross was flicked on by the head of on-loan Crusaders’ midfielder Matthew Snoddy, but Aaron McCarey sprung low to his right and turned the ball behind for a corner.

The Lurgan Blues pushed for the leveller but Cliftonville saw the game out to open up an eight point gap over their opponents who have three games in hand. 

CLIFTONVILLE: McCarey, C Curran, Harney, Lowe, Donnelly, O’Connor (Coffey 85’), Bagnall, Kearns (Doherty 75’), Hale, R Curran (McCrudden 90+4’), O’Neill.

GLENAVON: Hyland, Campbell, Hall (Purkis 46’), Moorhouse (Douglas 46’), Snoddy, Harmon, McCloskey, Singleton, Garrett, Ward, McCaffrey (Byrne 90+1’).

REFEREE: Raymond Crangle