It was a happy Seconds squad that left Mourneview Park late on Wednesday night, despite going one down on 13 minutes when sloppy defending at a corner allowed the hosts to open the scoring. Glenavon had a host of first team players in their starting eleven, including keeper Andy Coleman, Peter McCann, Mark Miskimmon, Niall Henderson and one Matthew Burrows.
Marty Murray was busy right from the kick off and went close with an angled shot on 4 minutes. Skipper Calum Birney, playing his second game in two days, put Murray through with an exquisite pass on 40 minutes but the latter drew a good save from keeper Coleman.
In between Stephen McConnell made a great block as Burrows hit a stinging shot and Glenavon’s Henderson was guilty of not hitting the target when put through by McCann. The industrious Carl McComb dragged a shot wide just before the break and it was a slight injustice for the boys to come in one down at the interval.
The second half was a different affair; Glenavon lost Henderson to injury, Glentoran lost McGuigan and Shaw to the same, but it was the East Belfast boys that took control and the pressure paid off when Owain Beggs lashed the ball past Coleman on the hour mark. Just two minutes later the same player was put through by McComb and was denied by a super double save from the former Newry stopper. McConnell made another superb block from Miskimmon as the home team had a rare attack. On 70 minutes a McConnell clearance was flicked on by McComb and Murray hit a right foot shot past the stranded Coleman; 2-1 Glens.
In what was an open game both teams were looking to trouble the scorers. McIlveen had a shot well saved, West missed a glorious chance from a corner for the Glens and McConnell claimed a good catch to relieve some late home pressure.
 
Glentoran.com spoke to Boss Spike Hill after the game;

Q. Happy with the result?
A. Happy with the second half performance.  We started very slowly, it really took 20 minutes for us to settle into the game and we looked a little disjointed early on. Of course happy with the result for the players and staff, I just thought we could have managed the game a bit better.
 
Q. How are the young players progressing?
A. They are coming along.  Calum Birney played 90 minutes against Shamrock Rovers on Tuesday, giving a good account of himself and immediately wanted to play for the Twos on Wednesday and John McGuigan and Colum Curtis got some first team grasstime as well.  Carl McComb didn’t score tonight but worked his socks off, West, Nelson and McIlveen are pushing their way into the Reserve set up and we are always looking at the Colts and Academy Players.
 
Q. So the future is bright then?
A. These young guys are learning the game, they will have their ups and downs but our task is to manage them carefully and give them the tools and knowledge to perform at the highest level of their ability. They have the support of all the staff and if they have the dedication, then who knows what is possible for them.
 
Glenavon; Coleman, McCann, McGarry, Lavery, Adams, Lindsay, Rooney, Henderson, Miskimmon, Burrows, Gordon
 
Glentoran IIs;  McConnell, Thompson, Davison, McGuigan (West45), Birney, Shaw (Crawford58), Johnston, McIlveen, Murray, McComb (Curtis 87), Beggs. Unused Sub Lupton

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