Glenavon boss Gary Hamilton heaps praise on ‘best in league’ goalkeeper Rory Brown after victory over Glentoran

The 22-year-old kept his third successive clean sheet in the Lurgan Blues’ win over erratic Glentoran at the BetMcLean Oval on Saturday – totally scuppering any lingering hopes of the East Belfast team making a late title charge.

Conor McCloskey shot Hamilton’s boys into a first-half lead before striker Matthew Fitzpatrick displayed a cool head to seal the deal with 17 minutes left on the clock.

The goal ignited a chorus of boos from the home faithful – not for the first time this season. Glentoran must now attempt to salvage another disastrous campaign in the end-of-season European play-offs.

Although it was an exceptional team performance, Hamilton once more reiterated the importance of Brown to his team.

“Rory has been outstanding for us this season, I keep saying it, he’s the best in the League by quite a distance,” beamed Hamilton. “He’s playing with confidence, you can see that the way he comes and takes cross balls. He makes vital saves, and his kicking is top drawer.

“Even when they (Glentoran) were throwing everyone forward, Rory made a couple of cracking saves.

“It just wasn’t Rory out there, there were 10 other boys on the pitch that played their part. I would have given every one of my players an eight out of 10 – they were that good."

Although there are only seven games remaining, Hamilton insists his team’s aim is a seventh-place finish.

“We’ve taken a bit of stick recently, people claiming there was a split in the changing room, which does my head in – total rubbish,” he added. “There is no split in that changing room and there never will be.

“It’s been a tough gig for them (the players) over the past month or two, so to walk away from the Oval with three points, it’s no easy task for any side.

“We’ve come here twice in the past 10 days or so and defied the odds, picking up four points from a possible six. We must give ourselves a chance of European play-off spot by finishing seventh.”

Unfortunately, it’s back to the drawing board for Glens’ boss Rodney McAree who replaced Mick McDermott back in January.

“The first 45 minute was flat, and it looked like we lacked enthusiasm,” he said. “The players must show a greater appetite, but we never looked like it.

“We need leaders – we need leadership in the dressing room, people who are willing to grab the game by the scruff of the neck and do more for this club in terms of pushing forward, but it’s not happening.

“We made a few changes at half-time, and we got a bit of a response, but we weren’t hungry enough to put the ball in the back of the net.”

GLENTORAN: McCarey, Wightman (McGinn 46), McCullough (Junior 85), Wilson, Singleton, Marshall, Crowe (Kane 46), Devlin, Burns (R Donnelly 77), McMenamin, J Donnelly (Purkis 46). Subs not used: Webber, Murphy.

GLENAVON: Brown, Snoddy, Ward, Wallace, Rogers, Baird, Garrett, Malone (Kerr 77), O’Connor (McCloskey 22, Doyle 85), Doran, Fitzpatrick. Subs not used: Matthews, Doyle, Lynch, Prendergast, Bradley.

REFEREE: Shane Andrews (Comber).