Crumlin United 0 Glenavon 1

Tuesday 27^th June 2023

Glenavon started pre-season with a 1-0 victory against Crumlin United at Mill Road. Second half substitute Harry Norton scored the winner in the 81^st minute with a cool finish after several goal bound efforts had been saved.

Gary Hamilton’s men dominated the match for long periods but squandered a plethora of scoring chances.

Hamilton used nineteen players including four trialists. He made eight changes at half-time. Only Danny Wallace and Harry Lynch played for the full 90 minutes. The trialists included a centre-forward, two other attacking players and a defender.

During the first-half former Linfield favourite Niall Quinn adopted a central midfield role whilst new signing Bobby Deane occupied the left-back position.

Apart from Harry Norton’s goal, Jack Malone went closest with a shot which struck the inside of a post. Danny Wallace also tested the Crumlin keeper with a fine header from a re-cycled corner-kick. Malone again and Peter Campbell twice saw shots saved as Glenavon monopolised possession during the opening 45 minutes.

In the second half Jamie Doran added impetus to the attack. The Newry teenager spurned several goal chances and created openings for Prendergast and two of the trialists. Prendergast, who looked lively through the middle, went close on at least three occasions.

It looked as if Glenavon was destined not to score until, with nine minutes remaining, Harry Norton forced the ball over the line after Doran and Prendergast had failed to beat the Crumlin goalkeeper from close-range.

GLENAVON: Purvis, Wallace, Deane, Trialist, Snoddy, Lynch, Quinn, Malone, Trialist, Henderson, Campbell, SUBS: Baird for Quinn (half-time), Kerr for Deane (half-time), Norton for Henderson (half-time), Rogers for Snoddy (half-time), Trialist for Trialist (half-time), Trialist for Campbell (half-time), Prendergast for Trialist (half-time), Doran for Malone (half-time), Fry for Purvis (82 mins).