The Glenavon squad are due make the trip down the M1 to face Dungannon Swifts at Stanmore Park.

The two sides have already faced each other twice this season, with a 5-0 hammering in October and a narrow 1-0 defeat already on the results sheet, Glenavon will be eager to get this season’s bragging rights over the Mid-Ulster side.

Manager Gary Hamilton spoke to the Glenavon website ahead of tomorrow afternoon’s game and is hoping for a good performance this time around.

“It’s always a difficult game up at Dungannon. It’s never easy so we have to make sure we’re up for it tomorrow, give 100% and work our socks off and outwork them. That’s what you have to do to get results when you go to Dungannon.

“We didn’t do that the last time we went to Dungannon, we let ourselves down. We can’t afford to do the same again this time.”

Gary also highlighted the absence of a few key players from tomorrow’s lineup whilst noting the difficulty in bringing in new players.

“We’ll unfortunately be without Eoin Bradley because he’s had an accident at work where he has broken a rib after falling victim to the icy conditions. Obviously Mark Haughey will be out with a long term injury and Mick O’Connor is out as well,” said the manager.

He added, “We’re down to our bare bones at the minute. We’re working hard and tirelessly to try and bring other people in but there’s nothing out there at the minute that’s suitable and that we feel would add to our squad. There is players out there but either transfer fees or wages are too high and that’s stopping us.

“We’ll keep working because we know we need to add another face or two to the squad but we can only do that when the right player becomes available at the right price.”

NIFL have advised that the game will be subject to a pitch inspection, which is scheduled to take place at 11am.

 

LAST TIME OUT

Glenavon fell to a 1-0 defeat against Dungannon Swifts at Stangmore Park on Saturday afternoon.

Rhys Campbell scored the only goal of the game in the 70th minute when he converted from a James Knowles corner.

Campbell threatened as early as the second minute of the game. Goalkeeper Declan Dunne punted the ball upfield and Michael O’Connor produced a superb first touch to cushion it into the path of Campbell. The forward’s low shot from 30 yards out was decent, but Rory Brown was equal to it, diving down to his right to make the save.

The winning goal arrived on the 70-minute mark. Knowles swung over a corner from the left and Campbell met it on the six-yard box to volley high into the net. It’s fair to say that Glenavon will be disappointed with how they defended the set-piece.

Campbell might have got his second of the afternoon in the 83rd minute when he cut in from the left and hit the target with a well-struck shot, but Brown was able to make a decent save to deny the Dungannon attacker.

The only time Glenavon really looked like grabbing an equaliser was in the last action of the match when substitute Conor Scannell delivered a corner from the left. It looked like the ball was going to be forced over the line at the back post, but the Swifts survived the goalmouth scramble to hold on for a much-needed victory.

Match report by Calum Jones

 

MATCH OFFICIALS

REFEREE: Tim Marshall

ASSISTANT REFEREES: George Argyropoulos, Stephen Donaldson

FOURTH OFFICIAL: TBC