Points shared in Seaview stalemate

Although Stephen Baxter’s team dominated possession and created the best chances, they failed miserably when it mattered most – in front of goal.

There was a definite whiff of revenge in the air on the Shore Road. The last time the Lurgan Blues made the trip – on January 29 – they smuggled three points, courtesy of an early Peter Campbell goal.

Even though they never looked capable of repeating that feat, the Lurgan Blues were happy to go down the road with one point this time.

There entertainment value in the opening quarter of an hour was zero, with both sides giving the ball away cheaply on the slick, wet surface.

Glenavon goalkeeper James Taylor was at last called into action on 17 minutes, but it was a routine save from a Josh Robinson header following a free kick from Robbie Weir, who agreed a one-year contract extension before kick-off.

Jude Winchester, preferred to the experienced Ross Clarke then found the over-lapping Billy Joe Burns with an audacious 50-yard pass.

When the defender’s cut-back found Adam Lecky, James Singleton managed to flick the ball off his toe just as he was about to pull the trigger.

Glenavon were content to soak up the pressure as the Crues kept probing for an opener. The irrepressible Ben Kennedy burst into action on the left on 26 minutes before finding Lecky, whose shot looped over the top of the body of defender Danny Wallace.

Winchester was beginning to run the show in the middle of the park and, in another driving 30-yard solo dash, he opened up the Glenavon defence.

When he found Kennedy on the left, he drilled the ball across the face of the goal, with no one on hand to get a telling touch.

Seconds later, Kennedy’s corner from the right was met by defender Daniel Larmour, whose header fizzed inches past – another escape for the Lurgan Blues.

It was business as usual after the restart. Kennedy’s corner on 50 minutes found Lecky free in the box, but his shot ricocheted off the base of the post.

Winchester then tried his luck with a stinging shot from distance that Taylor was relieved to see creep past the post.

The small pocket of Glenavon fans had to wait until the 66th minute to see any action at the other end, only for Conor McCloskey’s thundering volley to fly over the crossbar.

As the clock ticked down, the Crues upped the tempo and Forsythe stung the hands of Taylor with a 20-yard drive that the big keeper saved at the second attempt.

Taylor then produced the game’s best moment on 88 minutes when he somehow kept out a piledriver from Burns with a strong right hand that was destined for the net.

Two own-goals gave Coleraine all three points against Warrenpoint Town in the night’s only other Danske Bank Premiership game.

The visitors made a bright start at The Showgrounds with Gareth Deane forced into action to keep out a Steven Ball free kick.

Luke Wade-Slater should have given the Point the lead before the break, but he spurned two opportunities in the first half.

And by a cruel twist of fate Wade-Slater would hand the Bannsiders the opening on 49 minutes as he deflected Jamie Glackin’s corner into his own net.

Barry Gray’s men kept pushing and they deservedly got themselves back on level terms with 17 minutes to go as Alan O’Sullivan squeezed an effort past Deane at the near post.

But with five minutes to go they were denied a valuable point as Josh Carson’s cross was headed into his own net by Daniel Byrne.