'Instinctive reaction' answer for Premiership's lowest-scoring side

​Saturday’s blank in the 3-0 loss to Loughgall left Glenavon as the lowest-scoring side across the Irish League’s highest level – with 11 goals from 15 games in the Sports Direct Premiership.

That lack of cutting edge proved decisive again at Lakeview Park as McDonnell was left “happy with what we created...just not happy with turning those opportunities into goals”.

“That's the part we have to now finalise,” said the Glenavon boss. “By God, we are working our utmost to make sure we're the team that's two or three out in front and teams have to come at us and we go and kill them again.

“Just at the moment, in front of goal we're not lethal enough and when you're not lethal enough you're always suspect about maybe going behind in a game, which was certainly the case.

“We train moments, we train scenarios all the time...that's how we operate.

“But you can't replicate where the ball's going to land, it's an instinctive reaction that we need.

“They're just not at it in terms of that at the moment.

"For us, our 'goals for' column is quite down, so we do need to try and beef that up.

"We can only keep working away with putting the lads into scenarios and doing some visual work...hopefully that will then in time return."

McDonnell’s weekend tactical bid included the introduction of playmaker Keith Ward, striker Michael O’Connor – and centre-back Mark Haughey into the frontline.

"We just felt if we got another big player up there when the ball goes wide and into the box we've another aerial presence to potentially finish off a cross from a headed situation or the opportunity to build a bit longer,” said McDonnell. "That was the thinking with Mark (Haughey) and Michael.

"We did get up the pitch, some good deliveries that landed in the right areas, just not making the right contact...that's the final part.”

McDonnell still has full faith.

“We feel we've put together a really good talented group,” he said. "It's just making sure we learn from today, we analyse it and going forward we try to make it better.

"That's football...we always analyse and try to make things better, certain aspects of the game.”

The absence of the finishing touch proved frustrating for McDonnell within a performance the boss considered positive in other areas.

"We've been punished for individual errors...something we haven't really had too many of this season, we've been very, very good defensively,” he said. "For one reason or another there were just a few players off-colour.

"We've been punished...we largely dominated with opportunities, we should take the lead before they take the lead.

"In the second half we were fairly dominant and created lots of good moments but that final instinctive finish we just lacked.

"When players are sharp and on top of their game it could've been a very dominant scoreline.

"It just wasn't to be...we're operating at a level of the game here where if you don't take your chances, when in that purple patch, good teams hurt you.”