Stephen McDonnell: Glenavon are a huge club - we need to start pulling away from Premiership danger

Aaron Prendergast scored the Lurgan Blues’ sole goal in their 1-0 weekend triumph over Dungannon Swifts as they successfully backed up a maiden league win under McDonnell against Carrick Rangers to go ninth.

They’ve now won four of eight matches in all competitions since the 31-year-old took charge, booking their spot in the Mid-Ulster Cup semi-finals and could seal yet more cup progression when they take on Premier Intermediate League high-flyers Limavady.

Saturday’s win marked the first time the Mourneview Park outfit have recorded back-to-back league wins this season – it was also only a second clean sheet in 15 attempts – and McDonnell believes a club like Glenavon should be pulling away from any relegation threat.

"I questioned them (the players) after the Glentoran game,” he told Glenavon Media. “They've reacted the last two weeks.

"We're in a pressure situation. When you're down around the bottom, for a huge club like Glenavon, we should be pulling away from that.

"That's not being disrespectful to any other club but we have to pull away, start building and being successful again.

"Players do need to be stepping up and be accounted for – and they have. They've given us everything since we came through the door.

"We're really pleased with the last two weeks because we've taken maximum points and shown two different sides to us."

Glenavon will undertake a three-hour round trip to the Limavady Showgrounds to face a team that have scored 28 goals in five third-tier league matches to date.

Paul Owens’ side have top-flight proven talent in the likes of Ian Parkhill and Joe McCready, but McDonnell says it’s crucial his men make it through.

"It's a must-win game,” he added. “The chance to get to the cup quarter-finals doesn't come around every day of the week.

"I believe it's a cup the club haven't done overly well in over recent years.

"We rode our luck in the last round when Sean Ward scored two worldies to keep us in the tie and then win it.

"We have to look at where we've come in the last six weeks under our guidance.

"The performances we've churned out and the last two wins will give the group confidence.

"We have to go there and win - that's the mentality we want.

"We want to be in the hat for the next round and that's how we will be approaching the game."