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Gareth Fullerton

Glenavon players 'driving me to drink' jokes Gary Hamilton after spirited draw

Gary Hamilton joked his players are driving him to drink after they snatched a late 2-2 draw at Ballymena United despite being reduced to nine men.

The Lurgan Blues came from 2-0 down to rescue a point at the Showgrounds. They also had Eoin Bradley and Andrew Doyle both sent off.

Peter Campbell made it 2-1 just before the break, and Aaron Prendergast scored a late equaliser following a poor back pass from Ross Redman.

Read more: Irish Premiership recap as Coleraine beat Cliftonville in opening day win

Hamilton told BBC Sportsound: "The blood pressure is extremely high.

"I said to the boys in there, you trying to give me a heart attack or drive me to drink. One of the two.

"But given that performance with nine men, I can go home a happy man tonight and enjoy a drink tonight."

Hamilton admitted his players were "abysmal" during a disjointed first half, but Campbell's goal offered them a lifeline at the break.

"I am always honest. We were abysmal in the first half and Peter Campbell gave us a lifeline at half-time. I told them at half-time it wasn't enough and they were letting us down," Hamilton added.

"We were poor again after the break and then Skinner (Bradley) comes on, an experienced player, and deserves his red card. He has let his teammates down.

"And then Andrew Doyle's tackle, at the time I thought he had won the ball but the referee says he left the ground with two feet.

"If that's the case then Doyler has let us down as well, and that's two of our experienced players. But if not then we will look at appealing it.

"In saying that we went to nine men and we were excellent all over the pitch and created numerous chances, and young Rory (Brown) was exceptional in nets.

"He gave us a big performance when we needed him today."

Hamilton said two-week fines would be dished out to Bradley and Doyle, but said the latter's tackle would be looked at again before any punishment is meted out.

"The players will be fined two weeks' wages. That is unacceptable, and if we could fine them more we would," he added.

"These players will miss three games now but we can't fine them more.

"But I am not including Doyler at this minute because I need to look at it again and be fair on him."

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