CARRICK AND GLENAVON SERVE UP SEVEN GOAL THRILLER
Glenavon came out on top against Carrick Rangers as the sides produced a seven-goal thriller amid blustery conditions at the Loughshore Hotel Arena.
The visitors needed just four minutes to open the scoring after Colin Coates got on the end of a Michael O'Connor free-kick to find space in the box and turn to beat Aaron Hogg into the bottom corner.
Glenavon doubled their advantage with less than a quarter-of-an-hour on the clock through Conor McCloskey's back post finish after Josh Doyle's low cross from the left wasn't cleared.
Gary Hamilton's side pushed for a third goal, coming close when an O'Connor corner was headed off the line before Hogg twice denied Campbell in quick succession.
But Carrick pulled one back in first half stoppage time with substitute Lloyd Anderson firing past Craig Hyland after Jordan Gibson had delivered the ball into the box.
And Carrick got back on level terms early in the second half. Anderson was brought down in the box by James Singleton with Caolan Loughran stepping up to convert from the spot.
Glenavon regained the lead soon after, however, courtesy of Campbell's far post finish from McCloskey's cross just a couple of minutes before O'Connor added a fourth with the second penalty of the game awarded after Hogg had brought down Doyle.
Carrick were thrown a lifeline just before the hour mark after Glenavon were reduced to ten men following Lee McNulty's dismissal for a challenge on Kurtis Forsythe, his second booking of the afternoon.
Niall Currie's charges made their numerical advantage count on 70 minutes when Loughran doubled his tally with a back post finish from Gerard Storey's free-kick.
Both sides had chances later in the game to add to the scoresheet but, in the end, just the seven goals proved to be enough.
Carrick Rangers: Hogg, Surgenor, Rodgers, Loughran, Chapman, Kelly, Gawne, Smith, Cherry, Gibson, Friel subs McKinty (not used), Forsythe (replaced Gawne 46), Neale (not used), Gordon (not used), Glendinning (not used), Anderson (replaced Friel 18), Storey (replaced Cherry 61)
Glenavon: Hyland, Coates, Campbell, Hall, O'Connor, McCloskey, J. Doyle, Singleton, Garrett, McCaffrey, McNulty subs A. Doyle (replaced J. Doyle 61), Byrne (not used), Purkis (not used), Snoddy (replaced Hall 67), Harmon (not used), Fitzpatrick (replaced McCaffrey 63), O'Mahony (not used)
Substitution 
Substitution 
