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Steven Crawford

Glenavon secure crucial win in race for a European play-off spot in feisty clash

Glenavon strengthened their grip on a European play-off spot with a hard-fought win over Ballymena United.

Matthew Fitzpatrick's first half header did the damage against the Sky Blues, who had Dougie Wilson and Steven McCullough sent off in the closing stages.

After a fairly low key opening quarter of an hour the game burst into life on 17 minutes as the visitors edged in front.

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Issac Baird did well to dig a cross out from the byline and Fitzpatrick climbed highest at the near post to flick a header past the stranded Sean O'Neill.

The Sky Blues were denied an equaliser on 32 minutes as Rory Brown somehow got down to push away Craig Farquhar's header.

O'Neill was called into action again on 56 minutes as Baird picked up a loose ball outside the box and tried to angle a low shot into the corner, which the keeper palmed away.

At the other end Sean Ward denied Robbie McVarnock a first Ballymena goal with a superb block as we moved into the final half hour.

Brown then produced another excellent stop to claw away a long-distance effort from Sean Graham.

The Lurgan Blues were looking dangerous on the break and Fitzpatrick almost doubled his tally on 72 minutes only for a defender to get a toe on the ball and deflect the shot away for a corner.

That man Fitzpatrick went close again with seven minutes to go as he found space in the area again but this time his shot was hacked off the line by Mikey Place.

Ballymena's woes were compounded late on as they had two men dismissed as tempers flared.

Wilson picked up a second yellow for bringing down Fitzpatrick before Steven McCullough was shown a straight red following a clash with Jack Malone, who also picked up a booking.

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