Linfield 2-3 Glenavon
Last updated 20th Jan 2018
Glenavon produced a clinical display at Windsor Park to recover and beat Linfield 3-2 in the Danske Bank Premiership.
Linfield started brightly as Kurtis Byrne opened the scoring in just the third minute in spectacular fashion.
Jonathan Tuffey had punched clear a Kirk Millar corner, but Byrne was lurking just outside the box.
He caught the ball on the volley with his left foot, and the ball sailed through a crowd of players before dropping into the bottom corner.
Glenavon hit back 5 minutes later through Simon Kelly.
Bobby Burns whipped in a corner from the right, and the big centre back beat Roy Carroll to the ball to thump home a close-range header.
There were perhaps questions over whether or not the veteran keeper was fouled by Kelly in the process, and he spent almost 5 minutes being treated on the pitch.
4 minutes into the second half Glenavon took the lead having made the most of a lapse among the Linfield defence.
Josh Robinson got the ball caught beneath his body as he tried to clear a cross, and amid the scramble it was Andrew Mitchell who poked Glenavon into the lead while sprawled out on the turf.
Andrew Waterworth replaced Ryan Strain in the 54th minute as David Healy tried to inject a much-needed attacking threat.
But Linfield's immediate chances were limited to a hopeful Robbie Garrett effort from range which sailed over in the 62nd minute.
Jordan Stewart replaced Byrne and Stephen Fallon came on for Garrett in the 69th minute as the home side continued to chase the game.
However, Glenavon continued to dominate and eventually turned that into a third goal.
Stephen Murray robbed Josh Robinson of possession and drove into the Linfield box before laying it on a plate for Mark Griffin to tap in at the back post in the 81st minute.
Waterworth finished well in added time after being played in by Stephen Lowry but it was merely a consolation strike for the defending champions.