CHRISTMAS may still be 10 days away but the presents were handed out early at Stangmore Park as a shocking defensive performance from Glenavon gifted Dungannon Swifts a convincing victory in this Mid-Ulster derby, writes Adrian Rutherford
There wa
s plenty of seasonal cheer for supporters in the final home game before December 25 as a double from Timmy Adamson, plus strikes from Michael Ward and Neil McCafferty, kept Swifts well placed in the top four.
But the bleak mid-winter continues for their opponents, whose alarming slide down the table shows no sign of stopping. They head into the crucial festive programme in real trouble, without a win in their last eight league games.
This was not a classic performance from Dungannon, and they were aided by defensive errors which contributed to all four goals.
However there were some fine individual displays in this victory, including two clinical finishes from Adamson and both central defenders.
Manager Dixie Robinson, while admitting the final score flattered his side, was nonetheless highly satisfied with the three points.
“It is a very pleasing result and it shows how far we’ve come,” he said. “We ran out emphatic winners albeit the margin maybe flattered us.
“It was an average performance by us, I thought we were poor in the first half, but that shows the high standards we have set.”
And Robinson had special praise for Adamson, along with his central defensive pairing of Johnny Montgomery and Andrew Ferguson.
“The two centre-halves were superb again,” he added. “As for Timmy, when he is on form there is no-one better in the league. He will argue that he hasn’t scored his quota of goals, but his work-rate for the team is phenomenal.”
While Robinson begins a three-game touchline ban this week, Glenavon boss Marty Quinn was also forced to sit out this game. And the Lurgan club’s slapdash defensive performance will not have made for pleasant viewing.
After a decent opening 20-minute spell, Glenavon fell behind in the 23rd minute. No-one reacted to McCafferty’s quickly taken free-kick, allowing Craig McClean to cross for Ward to head home his sixth goal of the season.
Then came an incident which summed up Glenavon’s miserable luck. Willo McDonagh’s low cross deflected off Ferguson towards goal, however the ball struck Alvin Rouse and was deflected on to the upright and behind.
Dungannon capitalised on that let-off with a second goal two minutes later.
