Glenavon raced into a 3-0 lead only to see Larne pull it back to 3-3 early in the second half but a goal by Lewis Hamlin seconds after Larne's equaliser eventually proved the winner.

Colm Kearney celebrates his second goal of the game

The score line could have ended up anything in this thoroughly entertaining game with innumerable chances throughout. A bad error by Larne goalkeeper Chris Keenan presented Colm Kearney with the easiest of tap-in chances after he totally missed Douglas’s free kick into the box in the 7th minute. Two minutes later the goal scorer flicked on Murphy’s kick out and Hamlin controlled the ball and unleashed a shot from the edge of the box which forced Keenan to push it round the post. From Murray’s corner Neal Gawley scored his second goal in as many games as he nodded in at the near post, followed by his customary celebratory somersaults.

Marty Hunter hit a spectacular overhead kick in the 14th minute but Tuda Murphy matched it with an equally spectacular save at the base of his post. The big keeper made another great save in the 16th minute as he smothered the ball at the feet of Bertie Fulton.

Glenavon extended the lead in the 26th minute with Kearney’s second of the match when he volleyed in Meehan’s cross after Conor Walsh had won the ball in a crunching tackle in midfield.

The impressive Eamon Murray continues to be a joy to watch

Murray’s 34th minute run with the ball apparently glued to his feet deserved a better reward when, after weaving his way past the Larne defenders like they weren’t there, his shot came off the inside of the post and fell at Kearney’s feet but the ex-Larne striker fluffed the easiest of chances to complete his hat trick.

Five minutes from the interval Tuda made an unbelievable save as he flew across his goal to pluck Corrigan’s free kick out of the air but in the 45th minute he was adjudged to have brought down Fulton, who looked close to being offside as he ran onto a through ball. After consulting with his assistant, Referee Paddy McLoughlin pointed to the spot and Aaron Black confidently struck the penalty high into the Glenavon net to give Larne some hope going into the interval.

Hamlin could have given Glenavon the ideal start to the second half but he headed Murray’s cross over when well placed. Almost instantly Larne pulled another goal back when Hunter picked up the ball on the left and squared to an unmarked McLoughlin who slotted it past Murphy. The same player pulled Larne level three minutes later when he flicked in a corner at the near post. Within sixty seconds though the visitors went back in front again when an unmarked Hamlin fired home at the back post from the excellent Murray’s deep cross.

Murray was off on another run down the right wing in the 78th minute when he was unceremoniously hacked down by Paul Hamilton who was already on a yellow card. However it was Larne skipper Aaron Black who somehow ended up with a caution. Ten minutes from time Murray had a great chance to seal the points when Hamlin’s clever lay off set him clear and he outpaced three defenders but his lob drifted inches wide as he lifted the ball over Keenan from just outside the box.