CLIFTONVILLE moved four points clear at the top of the Danske Bank Premiership table with their sixth win in seven league games.
George McMullan, celebrating the birth of his new-born baby, opened the scoring from the penalty spot while an own-goal by Eddie McCallion summed up Glenavon’s woes.
It was an excellent team performance by the Solitude men but Tommy Breslin is doing his best to keep his side’s feet on the ground, playing down any talk of them being title contenders at this stage of the season.
“I thought we moved the ball about well in the first half, we created openings and got our goals while in the second half we did a professional job,” he said.
“We really are just taking it one game at a time because the league is so tight.
“If you win two games in a row you could go four points clear but by the same token if you lose two then you could drop two or three places.
“It’s still early, there’s a long way to go between now and the end of April but we’ll keep on plugging away and hopefully we’ll still be in the mix come the end of the season.”
The Reds were deservedly ahead at the break and took the lead on 15 minutes. Joe Gormley was adjudged to have been fouled by Kris Lindsay, despite calls from the home support that he had slipped. McMullan confidently dispatched the spot kick.
The league leaders marched into a 2-0 lead on 23 minutes after a defensive error. Martin Donnelly broke down the left hand side.
Home goalkeeper Andy Coleman hesitated then came out to block the initial shot but Donnelly didn’t give up on the chance and his cross on the loose ball from the by-line was turned in by Eddie McCallion.
Glenavon lacked in midfield and defensively looked shaky abut in fairness to Gary Hamilton’s side they did play marginally better in the second half with their best chance coming when Andy McGrory shot wide on 74 minutes, although they never caused Conor Devlin to make any saves.
Liam Boyce should have added a third right at the death when he won the ball from Lindsay but he fired wide.
FULL REPORT IN MONDAY’S NEWS LETTER
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