'That’s what good teams do': Gary Haveron relishing split schedule as Larne chase Gibson Cup glory

The Inver Reds are now guaranteed to enter the split sitting top of the table following Friday’s 3-0 win against Glenavon.

Haveron – and many of his players – knows what it takes to succeed when the pressure is on having won two of the last three league titles.

Their current advantage at the summit is five points with Glentoran holding an opportunity to reduce that gap when they face Coleraine on Saturday.

Having previously put together an 18-game unbeaten run, Larne went four without a win in February as their title rivals looked to take advantage, but Haveron’s men have since responded with three consecutive league victories alongside sealing Irish Cup progression.

Haveron hailed his side’s professionalism at Mourneview Park and is now relishing the next five matches.

"I think going into the last five games, we had to come here and cement our place in first,” Haveron told the club’s media channel. “We have done what we needed to do.

"All the important games are always at the end and we’re looking forward to it. I look forward to the next game, I hope it comes thick and fast in the next lot of weeks.

"We’re in a good place. A lot of people made a lot of the results we had when we’d a wee blip in February, but my word did we bounce back well.

"That’s our fourth or fifth win on the bounce...that’s what good teams do. You’re not going to go through a season without having little dips and mishaps.

"There’s no getting away from some of the performances weren’t everything we wanted them to be, but if you have the resilience and experience we have in our group, they know how to cope with it.

"They didn’t panic and have come out fighting and showing what they’re all about.”

Larne scored three unanswered second half goals in Lurgan with Paul O’Neill, Leroy Millar and Andy Ryan all on target.

"We were very frustrated at half-time when we went in and didn’t have a lead for the chances we created,” added Haveron. “We were very wasteful in front of goal and their goalkeeper has pulled off two unbelievable saves.

"We felt the goal was coming. The boys were really calm at half-time, they felt it was coming too.

"Glenavon were very game, you can see they’ve had that resurgence and a real boost since Mick has come in, you can see their confidence from the last four games and getting good results.

"We had to come here, be professional, do a job, and that’s exactly what we’ve done.

"Once we got the goal...I thought Leroy was excellent, his desire to get forward, and he’s put an unbelievable ball in the box. Paul has made up for his earlier miss and scored a peach of a header.

"Leroy then got himself into the box between the posts and he has scored goals since he came to the club.”