Glenavon travels to the Bangor Fuels Arena on Tuesday evening (ko 7:45pm) for a re-arranged Danske Bank Premiership fixture with Ards. The original game was abandoned early in the second half with Glenavon leading 2-0, due to safety concerns as Storm Eleanor threatened to cause damage to the stadium.

Don’t forget that admission is free for this re-arranged game. 🙂

Ards, perhaps surprisingly, were hammered 4-0 at home by Carrick Rangers who registered just their third league win of the season on Saturday, and Colin Nixon will be determined to avoid a third consecutive league defeat when his side takes on the Lurgan Blues tomorrow night. Nixon must plan without Ross Clarke and Michael Ruddy who start a two-game suspension after being sent off for serious foul play in their Irish Cup tie with Loughgall.

Mark Sykes will miss the game after being sent off late on in Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Coleraine and Sammy Clingan will not be risked on the 4G surface. Simon Kelly is still recovering from a calf strain but Gary Hamilton is hopeful that Josh Daniels will make the squad.

James Singleton was carried off the pitch on Saturday with a painful ankle injury which he sustained as he tackled Eoin Bradley. “It was an accident – when ‘Skinner’ went to run he planted his foot and it was on James’ ankle which was just a pure accident, to be fair, and Skinner stopped straight away to call the ref’s attention to it,” Gary explained.

“Singy’s ankle is still swollen so it’s too early to tell if it’s the impact and bruising on the bone that’s causing him the pain or if there’s any ligament damage which hopefully there isn’t and the ten or twelve days before our next game, that will give him a chance to recover if it is just badly bruised. If it’s ligament damage it could be six weeks.”

Glenavon’s injured James Singleton is helped off the pitch by Coleraine’s Winkie Murphy and Glenavon physio Lynne Carpenter. Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Lorcan Doherty

“It was disappointing that the game was abandoned as we were leading and comfortable but hopefully the boys will put in another good performance, which they have been recently. Even on Saturday against Coleraine on a really, really difficult pitch, they went and battled hard against a top, top Coleraine side, as good as any side I’ve seen this season. To grind it out and come away with a point was a good result; we could have nicked it but to be fair Tuffer’s also kept us in the game at times as well. You can’t ask any more from the boys. We had to hold out with ten men for the last ten minutes or so and it was like the Alamo but we hit them on the counter a couple of times as well which shows that our fitness levels are very good. It was pleasing for us on Saturday against a side that I think haven’t been beaten at home this season.”

Joel Cooper had bagged two goals before the game was abandoned. Pic Maynard Collins

“It’s a massive disappointment that Sykes will now be suspended for three games for a tackle that probably was a little bit harshly dealt with. I don’t think anybody really thought it was a red card. Oran Kearney and Eoin Bradley have both come out and said they didn’t think it was a red card. We thought it was harsh at the time and after seeing the video of it we still think it’s harsh. He’s not endangering anybody, yes he’s maybe a little bit rash, but he hasn’t went in to hurt anybody or put anybody in danger. For me, if it’s anything, it could be a yellow card rather than the red.”

Form Guide

Last Five League games

Ards: D L W L L

Glenavon: D W D D D

Head to Head (last 10, all competitions)

Glenavon P10, W7, D1 L2

Match Officials

Referee Assistant 1 Assistant 2 4th Official
Lee Tavinder Richard Storey Paul Robinson Raymond Crangle

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