Crusaders goal machine Philip Lowry looking for big performance against Glentoran

Lowry scored his 14th league goal of the season to secure three points at Seaview last Tuesday over Linfield on what was his 250th appearance for the club.

Crusaders sit eight points better off than the Glens and challenging for the league title – a trophy they last won during the 2017/18 campaign.

"These three games probably don't come any tougher,” said Lowry. "At Larne we probably set our stall out to get a point and we got it, knowing that we would probably go hammer-and-tong against Linfield to get three, which we did.

"All eyes now move on to Glentoran, who have seemed to have turned a bit of a corner, albeit against opposition which they would probably have expected to beat.

"We'll go there under no illusions, but I'm sure they won't want to play us either.

"You always see some sort of impact after a managerial change.

"I wouldn't read too much into it to be honest...there's still a long way to go.

"Rodney (McAree) is his own man and he will want to put his own stamp on things, but we will just look after ourselves.

"We always give it a go no matter who we're playing against.

"It has been a week for us and if we can take something from Monday's game it would set us up well for the Irish Cup game with Bangor and the run-in after that.”

Only Coleraine striker Matthew Shevlin and Linfield’s Eetu Vertainen have netted more in the league than 33-year-old Lowry to date this season and he wants to keep adding to his tally.

"It's become a bit of a burden as I'm actually thinking I need to score every week,” he added. "Everybody is talking about me scoring goals but that's not really my game.

"I'm just really enjoying my football. Goal-scoring, like everything, once you do it a few times you always seem to get more chances. This season any chance that's come my way I've put it in the back of the net.

"I haven't set any targets.”