The Rovers league form continues to frustrate with a 2-1 defeat to the hands of bottom of the table Glenavon. Rovers day got off to a bad start with the team strips not reaching the team until 10 minutes before kick off due to car troubles. Once Rovers got the same going they made a great start creating a number of chances in the 1st half. The deadlock was broken by a cheeky piece of skill from returning David Clancy on right midfield as he approached on the right just outside the area, he flicks the ball past the flat footed fullback, as the ball is passing the bewildered defender Clancy runs round the other side of him to collect the ball and hit a good shot across the goal into the bottom left hand corner, 1-0 Rovers.
Rovers continued to apply pressure as the new Defensive midfield pairing of Conetta and Graham were getting to grips with the game, unfortunately the referees performance was poor and flagged both Carlo Santi and Frank Coia off side after both had made great runs in behind the Glenavon defense early in the 1st half. Coia who had an off day in front of goal beat the offside trap on 25 minutes, he rounded the keeper but unfortunately hit the near post with his shot across goal, the ball trickled across the goal mouth with no one up with play to take advantage of a tap in. There was only one team playing football in the 1st half but on 30 minutes Glenavon were awarded a free kick wide on the right, the ball was floated into the box were Barnes was out jumped at the back post, Christy made an initial save but could not hold the ball and there was 3 Glenavon players lined up for a tap in, 1-1.
Rovers almost made an immediate comeback as Barns played the ball out of defense to Santi who was in an advanced position on right midfield, Santi skillfully flicks the back with a altered back-heal into the path of the overlapping Coia. Coia ran onto the flick and tried a lob, unfortunately the attempt missed the target. Frustration was building with the Referees poor decision making and on 40 minutes Paul Gallagher was booked for descent after repeated dangerous tackling from Glenavon and a final push at a corner set Gallagher on a rant.
On 44 minutes Conetta gave away a foul on the edge of the box with a last ditch tackle, luckily the Glenavon free kick taker slipped as he struck the shot and the ball spun out for a throw. From the resulting throw-in Glenavon picked up a yellow card after a bad tackle on Veith, the 1st Half ended 1-1. MacGregor left the match early and was replaced at half time with Donaghy as he came on at LB moving Gallagher into CB.
The 2nd half was a real slog as Glenavon showed little quality with the ball and reverted to direct attacks and when the chances presented themselves loaded the box with big bodies unfortunately this tactic worked and on 55 minutes Glenavon swung a deep cross into the box, Barnes was beaten again at the back post as the Glenavon player attacked the ball well heading the ball into the bottom right hand corner, Santi had not chance in goal. Shortly after Christie was booked for descent, he was incensed after yet another poor refereeing decision.
Rovers panicked going 2-1 down and continually tried to force the play with long balls up the pitch which played into the hands of Glenavon as their defenders won everything in the air. This lack of patience combined with a lack of movement and invention in the final 3rd of the pitch during the 2nd half cost the Rovers as the match finished 2-1 to Glenavon. Lessons will hopefully be learned that lumping balls into the box is not the best way to break down a team of Gelnavons stature, especially when they were not a great footballing team and created so many opportunities when we pass and move the ball quickly.
