Miskimmon hat-trick ruins Town's good work

BANBRIDGE Town gave an assured performance against their Premiership opponents at Crystal Park.

There was a decent turn-out for the Town's penultimate pre-season game and the Town didn't let their supporters down in a battling performance in a game which wasn't treated like a friendly by either side.

The first chance of the game came 13 minutes into the match when the visitors won a series of corners. First Gareth Buchanan, playing against his old club, pulled a great save out of the drawer to deny Tony Grant from Stuart King's corner. The second corner, taken by Ryan Harpur was headed away by Jeff Brady for another one before the third was cleared away.

Three minutes later Buchanan denied Glenavon again, this time a header from their new signing Mark Miskimmon. One of their other new signings, Kyle Neill, pumped a cross into the box. Jeff Brady attempted to clear it but his header fell to the ex-Linfield man, the resulting shot being palmed away by the goalkeeper.

Buchanan was proving to be something of a star man for the hosts and he was in action again to block King's shot after the initial effort from Adrian Harper was spilt.

The opening goal came on 39 minutes when Grant was shoved over just inside the box. Miskimmon grabbed the ball, put it on the spot and blasted it home.

Both sides made changes at the interval, Town opting to bring on Paul Walsh, Paul Evans, Darren McAnerney and Kevin Anderson while Glenavon took off Ryan Harpur and Willo McDonagh to replace them with Conor Walsh and Jay Magee.

Glenavon had trialist Lee Windrum in goal. He perhaps should have done better for the equaliser which came three minutes after the restart when Greg Hall's cross-come-shot floated over the former Hearts custodian.

Glenavon restored their lead when Grant found Miskimmon; his low, placed shot beating Buchanan on 56 minutes.

Banbridge could have levelled through Walsh when he had two quick fire opportunities, the second forcing a good save from Windrum.

The equaliser did come twenty minutes into the second half. Magee was taken off after he had kicked out at Dale Malone, an incident which followed on from an incident just seconds earlier as the two players fought for the ball as it went out for a throw-in.

The resulting free kick from Walsh may have taken a deflection on it's way towards goal but regardless it beat the keeper to make it 2-2.

Miskimmon scored the winning goal and completed his hat trick on 76 minutes when he headed home from Ryan Murphy's cross.

In the dying minutes Town sub McAnerney fought his way through the Glenavon defence, looking for an equaliser. Sadly for Colin Malone's side he pulled his shot wide.

BANBRIDGE TOWN: Buchanan, Hall, Brady, Copeland, King, McParland, Malone, McCartan, Timmy Grant, Campbell, Teggart. Used subs: P Walsh, Evans, Anderson, McAnerney, Clydesdale.

GLENAVON: Windrum, Shannon, Neill, Haughey, McDonagh, Costello, King, Harpur, Harper, Grant, Miskimmon. Used subs: C Walsh, Magee, Murphy, McKee, Grieve, Plummer, Lavery.

REFEREE: Gareth Eakin (Portadown).

- ON Tuesday night Portadown were the visitors to Crystal Park with the Town putting in another sterling performance to hold them to a 1-1 draw.

Jordan Baker, brother of former Town player Aaron, scored with a deflected free kick to put the visitors in front before the Town equalised.