All photographs on this page are © by Drew McWilliams, permission granted to glenavonfc.com

A vastly improved performance compared to the debacle on Tuesday night against Crusaders could not prevent Glenavon slipping to a fifth successive league defeat, all by a single goal margin.

Stephen Magennis in an aerial challenge with George McMullan

Almost inevitably it was Glenavon old boy Kieran O’Connor who opened the scoring for the visitors when he was left with a simple tap in after Mark Holland had cut the ball back from the left. That goal came in the 9th minute with Ronan Scannell already having gone close with a run and shot across goal from the same side that narrowly missed the far post.

Conor Walsh went close to a reply for Glenavon with a 14th minute free kick that flashed across Connolly’s goal and just wide of the post. Hamlin did well in the 20th minute when he flicked the ball on for Magennis but the ball just wouldn’t come down quickly enough on the edge of the area and Magennis, playing in midfield, could only lay it back for Hamlin whose shot flew over the bar. Carville’s 31st minute free kick was comfortably saved by Connolly.

Glenavon upped the pressure in the second half and Hamlin had a ‘goal’ chalked off in the 56th minute when he netted after Walsh chested down the ball in the box and played a short pass to create the chance. There didn’t appear to be any offside flag but Walsh may have been adjudged to have committed a foul in the build up. Two minutes later Glenavon had muted shouts for a penalty waved away when O’Hara barged into Gawley to get his head to the ball. Seconds after that McDonnell headed a Harper free kick back across the goal but the Reds had plenty back in defence and the danger was cleared.

Cliftonville relieved the pressure in the 69th minute with a second goal when George McMullan blasted a low shot into the net from 6 yards after an effort by Chris Scannell was charged down, the ball breaking kindly for the visitors.

Mark Holland smashed a fabulous shot off the underside of the bar after he chested down a long clearance, turned away from his marker and volleyed from the edge of the area, with McMullan screwing a follow up shot wide after McGuigan could only partly clear the rebound.

Harper’s 89th minute dipping shot over Connolly following a scramble on the edge of the ‘D’ was only a consolation and couldn’t prevent Glenavon slipping to a fifth straight league defeat.