European Nights: Scoring the winner against Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's Molde was made even more special with it being my daughters first match

July 11, 2018: Glenavon 2 (Marshall (37), Daniels (59) – 1 Molde (Hestad (36)

As if scoring the winner against a team managed by Manchester United legend Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and with a future great up front wasn’t special enough, the fact that this was the first match his daughter had ever watched him play in makes the memory even sweeter for Josh Daniels.

After a third-placed Premiership finish the previous season, Gary Hamilton’s side were riding the crest of a wave right into their Europa League first-round qualifying clash against Norwegian outfit Molde at Mourneview Park.

Having not picked up a European victory since their UEFA Cup triumph over Icelandic outfit FH 23 years prior and with only two wins in total, Daniels admits they entered this contest with tempered expectations, but it turned out to be one of the club’s most memorable nights ever.

Glenavon were slated as 14/1 underdogs by the bookmakers and those odds grew even further when Eirik Hestad gave Molde a 36th-minute lead, but Rhys Marshall climbed highest from Andy Hall’s corner barely 60 seconds later to immediately respond and then Daniels finished off a superb second-half counter-attack to secure the famous 2-1 victory.

"It was a massive night for Glenavon,” said Daniels. “Being a part-time club against a big Norwegian side with Solskjaer as manager and (Erling) Haaland at the time it was quality.

"We might have played PSNI a week before in pre-season so you were going from one extreme to the other.

"It was extra special for me, not just getting the winner but it was my daughters first game so I will always remember that. It was an amazing night.”

Daniels had to hold his nerve to score what turned out to be the winning goal with Marshall’s pass bobbling over the winger’s right foot and cutting the angle.

He remained calm, slotting the ball under an onrushing Andreas Linde with his left to give everyone associated with Glenavon an evening they’ll never forget.

"I was relieved because the ball bobbled over my foot!" he added. “I wanted to take it on my right foot and slot it past the keeper but the ball bobbled over and forced me onto my left.

"It made the angle really tight but I knew if I could just get it under the keeper then I would score. As soon as I saw it hit the net I was ecstatic. It was an amazing feeling.

"I didn't understand how big it really was until a year or two later and you're looking back.

"We didn't go through like we would have wanted to but even that result against such a big club and Norway being a good football country as well, it was a huge night.

"It was a massive result for an Irish League club but for it to be us as a part-time club with a young side, it was unreal."

The squad that helped the Lurgan Blues qualify for Europe was packed full of quality with Bobby Burns earning a move to Scottish side Hearts two months before the Molde tie, Mark Sykes departed for Oxford United in January while the likes of Rhys Marshall (Shamrock Rovers) and Daniels (Shrewsbury Town) earned significant transfers in 2020 after impressing for Glenavon.

Daniels loved being part of that team and is full of gratitude to manager Hamilton for the platform he gave him as a young player.

"Credit to Gary and the whole Glenavon board because they've always brought in good young players and got the best out of them,” he said. “They give young players a platform.

"If I had joined Glenavon four years before I did, I probably would have got a move to England quicker because the platform they give young boys is amazing.

"Gary puts his trust and belief in a lot of youngsters and it pays off massively for them because that's how they operate the club and it's the best way.

"Full-time clubs have a lot of young players and senior players who want to go there, but Glenavon have to work within a budget and we did so well that year.

"It was an unreal group but a lot of younger boys who have went on to have brilliant careers.”

Another player from that July evening in Lurgan that has went on to make an impact is striker Erling Haaland, who one month after being kept quiet at Mourneview Park, joined Red Bull Salzburg and is now breaking all sorts of records at Manchester City.

"I thought we dealt really well with him,” added Daniels. “He was probably the same height then as a 17-year-old as he is now but he wasn't very physical.

"He was up against our two centre-backs who were giving him a hard time and for any young player coming up against two Irish League defenders with a lot of experience is going to be a tough ask.

"You knew that with that many clubs watching him he had something special and look at the career he has gone on to have and he's only starting.

"I was at the Man City vs Real Madrid game last season in the Champions League semi-final and he's just an animal. It's some experience getting to play against boys like that and them going on to have top, top careers."

Daniels, now with Welsh champions The New Saints, is preparing for another European adventure this week as he travels to Swedish title winners BK Häcken in search of yet more memories.

"It was my daughters first game and she got to come and watch a historic day for Glenavon which was a club that treated me so well and I loved it there and the people were amazing to me and my family,” he said. “It would be right up there in terms of memories - that's a game I will never forget.

"With her being there, scoring the winner and Solskjaer and Haaland on the other side, it's one you'll never forget."