Institute come to Mourneview Park for the first of two visits in December on the back of four straight defeats but by all accounts were very unlucky to lose to a 95th minute penalty at Seaview last week. Crusaders boss Stephen Baxter was certainly impressed by the way Paddy McLaughlin’s side played, telling BBC Sport NI “it’s the best football I’ve seen from any visiting team here in five years.”
Gary Hamilton is also impressed with the style of football that McLaughlin’s side plays. “We know they’re a decent side; they play really good football and they can punish you as well. In McCrudden they’ve got a top player who’s scoring a lot of goals this season.
“They only lost last week to Crusaders with a stoppage time penalty. We had gone there the previous week and got turned over so we know that we’re going to be in for a very difficult game if you don’t prepare right and don’t go on the pitch with the right mentality and right frame of mind.
“For me, personally, Institute have come up this year and done really well and I think they’ll have no bother staying clear of relegation, based on what I’ve seen of them, especially if they can keep hold of McCrudden.
“We have to go into the game and try to carry on from last week and get another positive result. It’ll be difficult and they will come down and be more than a match for us so we need to be on the top of our game to get a result and hopefully we can be on the day tomorrow.”
One to Watch
Michael McCrudden continues to find the net on a regular basis for ‘Stute and currently lies third in the Danske Bank leading goal scorer table with 9 goals, one behind Glenavon’s Stephen Murray who has ten league goals to his name.
The ‘Stute skipper scored both of his sides goals in the 3-2 defeat to Crusaders last week.
Crusaders’ Michael Carvill with Institute’s Michael McCrudden during last week’s game at Seaview. ©INPHO/Stephen Hamilton
Form Guide
Last Five league games
Glenavon: W L D L W
Institute: W L L L L
Head to Head
Last 10 games in all competitions:
Glenavon W7 D1 L2 F21 A10, Average goals per game 3.1
Stephen Murray bagged a hat-trick in the game at the Brandywell in September. Photo by Maynard Collins
Stats a Fact
- Gary Hamilton has not lost a game against Institute as Glenavon manager.
- His record against Stute reads: P5 W4 D1 F15 A5; average goals per game 4.0
- Three of those wins were by a 4-1 score line, including this season’s game at the Brandywell.
Matchday Sponsors
Today’s match is jointly sponsored by InCab Taxi Training, Roy Harrison and our Club Doctor Stephen Best. The Ball Sponsor is Wee Paddy’s Bistro Lurgan and the Glenavon Man of the Match award is sponsored by S.M. Vint & Co.
Glenavon FC is very grateful to all our sponsors and we would ask you to support them in return where possible.
Match Officials
Referee Arnold Hunter, Assistants David Anderson and Adam Jeffrey, 4th Official Tim Marshall
Arnold Hunter is taking charge of his second game at Mourneview Park this season though he had to be replaced by the 4th Official at half time in the previous game, the 3-2 win against Crusaders, after he took ill during the first half.
