The visitors had a couple of early opportunities to take the lead when the Mallard's keeper misjudged a long ball from Topley and almost allowed it to bounce over his head with Walsh in attendance and Clifford should at least have hit the target from 18 yards after Walsh laid the ball back to him from Topley's deep cross. Instead he blasted the ball high over the bar.

Only Walsh himself will know how he failed to score when he was through with only the keeper to beat in the 29th minute. As everyone else stopped, expecting an offside flag that never came, Walsh tried to take the ball around the keeper rather than simply slotting it either side of him. He allowed the young keeper to get a hand to the ball which forced him wide and, although he got in a shot that was cleared off the line he really should have scored.

In the 35th minute Mallard's 17 year old winger Duwayne McManus got a neat touch to control a through ball and fired a shot inches wide with only McDonald to beat. A minute later the home side's skipper Gary Liggett fired a dipping shot just over the bar from 25 yards.

The home side took the lead three minutes before half time when O'Brien shrugged off a challenge from McAlinden and unleashed a fierce shot that flew into the top corner and back out of the goals off the stanchion, giving McDonald no chance.

Tommy Kincaid replaced Lee Feeney with Paul McKnight for the second half but it was the home side who had the better of the early second half exchanges. Twice McDonald raced well off his line to try to cut out balls played down the right but he needed Reid and McAlinden to clear the danger when he failed to cut out the crosses. McKnight's influence grew and he set up a shooting chance for Pete Batey which the skipper put wide in the 66th minute. Two minutes later Breen was cautioned after he came out of his box and brought down Walsh but 60 seconds later he could do nothing to prevent Glenavon from equalising from the resulting free kick. A close-range header drew the visitors level after Walsh hit a shot into the ground and it bounced up nicely for Clifford to nod home.

In the 71st minute McKnight played a good through ball that split the defence for Walsh but he dragged his shot wide. Five minutes later Johnny Wright found himself unmarked at the back post as Topley swung a cross in from the right wing but he put his header narrowly wide. A free kick at the other end found its way right across the Glenavon box to the back post where Boyle got a touch put could not direct it goal wards.

Ten minutes from time Topley, who was by now playing in a more central role and looking more threatening, turned his man just outside the area and was unlucky that his shot dipped just too late. This followed more good work from McKnight who Glenavon fans will be hoping to see a lot more of, fitness permitting.

Johnny Wright is well forward, trying to link up with Gary Clifford (4), as Glenavon press for a late winner

Two minutes from time Gerard McMahon replaced Walsh who had run his legs off all afternoon. In the final minute Glenavon won a free kick on the edge of the D but strangely, with himself, Topley and McKnight all standing over the ball. McMahon tried a delicate chip over the wall which Batey tried his best to get on the end of but the ball ran harmlessly out of play.