BIRNEY STRIKE EARNS GLENAVON FIRST WIN
Glenavon edged past Ballymena United at Mourneview Park to pick up their first win of the season.
In what was a crucial battle between the two clubs at the foot of the table the only goal of the game came after just four minutes when, following a period of pressure, Calum Birney got his head to a Jamie McDonagh corner to direct the ball past Sean O'Neill.
Glenavon came closest to finding the net again in the closing minute of the half when Stephen Teggart had a go from 25 yards but O'Neill dived to his right to deal with the threat.
The visitors were dealt a blow early in the second half when Mikey Place was dismissed for a tug on Aaron Rogers to earn his second caution of the afternoon.
The sides traded chances as the game progressed with Colin Coates sending a low shot straight at Rory Brown while Jackson Nesbitt tested O'Neill at the other end.
Nesbitt then played substitute Cohen Henderson not long after that but he couldn't keep his finish on target.
Glenavon ended the game with ten men too after Rogers was booked for the second time for impeding Johnny McMurray but Gary Hamilton's side held on to secure the points and, indeed, might have doubled their advantage in stoppage time only for O'Neill to thwart Aaron Prendergast although there was still time for United's Fraser Taylor to see a last gasp shot kept out by Brown.
Glenavon: Brown, Rogers, Birney, Snoddy, Campbell, Baird, McCloskey, Teggart, Wallace, McDonagh, Nesbitt subs Kerr, Malone, Prendergast, Mulvenna, Garrett, Henderson, Oppong
Ballymena United: O’Neill, Nelson, Rocks, Whiteside, Waide, McCullough, McGuigan, Taylor, McGrory, McMurray, Place subs Johnston, Burns, Coates, Gawne, Friel, Walsh, Murray
Substitution 
Substitution 
