Paddy McLaughlin confirms further Glenavon appeal over decision 'the more we reflect on the worse we think it was'

Summer signing Lomboto was sent off in the closing stages of a 2-1 Premiership defeat to Coleraine with the club announcing their initial appeal had been rejected by the Irish FA and the forward was set to serve a three-match suspension.

However, Lomboto started for the Lurgan Blues against Cliftonville last weekend and scored his maiden league goal with the red card now under review once again.

The 25-year-old is set to be available once again for Saturday’s clash against Dungannon Swifts as McLaughlin’s men look to pick up their first points of the season following five consecutive losses.

At the time, McLaughlin labelled the decision to dismiss Lomboto as “not acceptable” and his opinion hasn’t changed.

“Francely’s sending off was, in our view, a poor decision at the time but the more we reflect on it the worse we think it was,” he told the club’s website. “There was no intent or serious foul play.

"The video evidence is there for all to see.

"Even at Solitude we were very hard done by with a penalty appeal and then, with ten minutes to go, the big man was penalised when he had got past the last defender and was bearing down on goal.

"There was absolutely no foul. If he had been allowed to go on, he may well have equalised.”

Both Glenavon and Dungannon are yet to collect a Premiership point across their opening five matches, giving Saturday’s showdown an added sense of importance.

The pair have struggled in front of goal – each side has only netted twice, the lowest number in Northern Ireland’s top-flight – and McLaughlin believes a lack of cutting edge has contributed to the current losing run.

“We need a win,” he added. “We aren’t too worried about how we get it.

"The players are hurting. There is also a bit of anger because some refereeing decisions have gone against us.

"Everyone in the dressing room has worked their socks off. Our performances have been much better than our results. We want to get that first three points. When we do that, I feel that we are good enough to put a good run together.

“We have created a lot of decent scoring opportunities, but we haven’t taken enough of them and that has really hurt us.

"We had chances at both Taylors Avenue and The Oval and failed to find the net in either match. In fact, we could easily have scored two or three against Glentoran.

"Even at home to Coleraine we threatened at times, scored and but for the sending off might well have drawn or won the game.

"Last Saturday we could easily have had a half time lead. But ifs and maybes don’t count for a lot. We need to be better in the final third of the pitch. The players know that.”