Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Half a job won’t do says Gary
GLENAVON boss Gary Hamilton has warned his players only 90 minute performances will cut it if they hope to stay in this season’s Danske Bank Premiership title race.
The Lurgan Blues, who are top on goal difference, only turned up for 45 minutes at a blustery Ballymena Showgrounds last week and paid the price with a 2-1 defeat.
A late Johnny Mcmurray header inflicted a first league defeat on the league leaders since losing to second-placed Linfield on the opening day of the season.
Ahead of today’s home clash with Warrenpoint Town, Hamilton said: “I’ve told the boys, you can’t put in a first half performance like we did at Ballymena and expect to win games.
“Overall, I felt we deserved at least a draw at the Showgrounds, but our first half performance cost us and it’s something we need to learn from.”
While Glenavon lead at the summit, Hamilton – who was yesterday named October Manager of the Month – insists he isn’t looking beyond a Warrenpoint side fresh from last week’s impressive 1-1 draw at Linfield.
“It’s one game at a time,” he said. “In this league every team can beat every other team. Our aim is to get back to winning ways against Warrenpoint, but if we don’t start the game right, they are capable of beating us. That’s the way this league is.”
home game with Coleraine will be broadcast live by BBC2 NI on Friday, December 14, kick-off 7.45pm.