What a chance for Dean Smith's men!

Alberto Balde has been causing havoc down the left flank so far and is involved as he charges down the wing and passes the ball to Nathaniel Ferris in the box.

The Loughgall captain fires towards goal, but his strike is blocked with rebound falling to the onrushing Conor McCloskey, whose effort is cleared off the line by Jacob Blaney.

Almost a calamity at the back for Glentoran, as Michael O'Connor dispossesses James Douglas after a poor pass from Frankie Hvid, forcing goalkeeper Daniel Gyollia into a save.

Moments later Peter Campbell crosses from the left, but his delivery just evades O'Connor in the box.

Glenavon look the more likely so far.

Joe Gormley nearly silences Stangmore Park with a trademark curling effort after Luke Conlan's interception sets the frontman free.

Declan Dunne is alert to the danger and stretches to tip it away from the top corner, denying the Reds top scorer his eighth league goal of the campaign.

Joel Cooper is the first to test either keeper as he forces Sean O'Neill into a diving save with a first-time effort from the edge of the box.

Nathaniel Ferris travels into the box with Jordan Forsythe doing well to rush back and poke the ball on for stopper Jonny Tuffey before the Loughgall captain can try his luck.

It's been an even opening five minutes here.

Leon Boyd's burst of pace down the Dungannon right forces Luke Conlan into defensive action, winning the hosts an early corner.

The Swifts maintaining their trend of fast home starts, looking to strike first as they've done in all their home league games this season.

The floodlights are already on here on a dull afternoon in south Belfast. The visitors get us underway in their striking black and pink change strip as they attack the Railway End.

Joe Gormley gets the game underway at Stangmore Park, where the hosts' formidable home record faces its sternest test yet against a Reds side hunting down Linfield at the summit.

Niall Quinn gets the action underway at Mourneview Park.

Who will come out on top in the battle of the Glens?

Carrick Rangers get us underway here at Shamrock Park.

Robbie Norton gets the action underway at Seaview!

There's a late for the visitors with Ben Murdock replacing Jamie Rea.

Can Loughgall make it three victories in a row or can the home side return to winning ways in the league?

Unsurprisingly, Portadown name an unchanged side to that which beat Ballymena 3-0 last time out in league action.

Three changes however, for Carrick Rangers to the side that lost 3-1 to Linfield.

Ross Glendinning is back in goals, with Emmet McGuckin and Paul Heatley also returning to the starting line-up, with goalkeeper Ben McCauley, David Cushley and Curtis Allen dropping to the bench.

Portadown: McCarey, Altintop, MacKinnon, Chapman, McElroy, McCullough, Fyfe, Ukek, Obhakhan, McCartan, Thompson.

Subs: Ray, Wilson, Henderson, Wylie, Traynor, Mullan, McDonagh.

Carrick Rangers: Glendinning, Forsythe, McGuckin, Maciulaitis, McCullough, Buchanan-Rolleston, Clucas, Crowe, Cherry, Heatley, Gibson.

Subs: McCauley, Surgenor, Cushley, Allen, Andrews, Given, Trimble.

Image source, BBC Sport

The Irish Premiership's history-makers were just 11 minutes away from another milestone - but, ultimately, it was not to be.

Prior to their historic Uefa Conference League campaign starting, Larne manager Tiernan Lynch had been adamant that his side were targeting results.

After two defeats by Molde and, most significantly, Shamrock Rovers, Larne could have been forgiven for having their self belief knocked.

But, it was almost third time lucky against Swiss Super League side St Gallen at Windsor Park.

After the visitors had a goal disallowed inside 90 seconds, Larne took the lead when Abdoulaye Diaby turned Jordan McEneff's cross into his own net.

There was pandemonium in what was already a cauldron of noise and colour thanks to a travelling vocal, 2000-strong support.

It was like a spark had been lit. The belief was back.

Read more of Andy Gray's post-match analysis from Larne's 2-1 Uefa Conference League defeat by St Gallen here.

Image source, Presseye

League leaders Linfield welcome Ballymena United to Windsor Park and David Healy makes two changes from their victory at Carrick Rangers. In come Charlie Allen and Josh Archer in place of Euan East and Kyle McClean.

Ballymena will look to return to winning ways and halt their losing run in the league at three. Jim Ervin also makes a pair of changes from their 3-0 loss at home to Portadown last week with Calvin McCurry and Oisin Devlin in for Joseph Moore and Donal Rocks.

Linfield: Walsh, Whiteside, Shields, Millar, Cooper, Allen, Archer, Mulgrew (C), McGee, Fitzpatrick, Orr

Subs: Johns, McBrien, Ballantyne, McCullough, Annett, McKay, Thompson

Ballymena United: O'Neill, Nelson, Kennedy, Scott, O'Donnell, McCurry, Brown, McCallion, McMurray, Devlin, Carson

Subs: Johnston, Lafferty, Coates, Gawne, Moore, Herron, Stewart

Image source, BBC Sport

Not a great stat from Marshall Gillespie if you're a Ballymena fan, their last league victory at Windsor Park against Linfield was in October 2004.

The Sky Blues have also failed to score in their last 10 league games against David Healy's side.

Image source, Pacemaker Press

The hosts make six alterations from their midweek League Cup victory over Dollingstown, with goalkeeper Declan Dunne returning between the posts.

Steven Scott, James Knowles, Cahal McGinty, Danny Wallace and Andy Mitchell also earn starting berths, replacing Patrick Solis Grogan, John Scott, Dylan King, Tomas Galvin, Thomas Maguire and Bobby-Jack McAleese in what is a significant reshuffle from Rodney McAree.

Cliftonville boss Jim Magilton opts for two changes following Tuesday's last-gasp 1-0 victory against Bangor.

David Odumosu reclaims goalkeeping duties from Lewis Ridd, while experienced defender Jonny Addis comes in for Ryan Curran.

There's a welcome boost on the bench as Odhran Casey makes his first matchday squad appearance since suffering a leg break in last season's Irish Cup final.

Dungannon Swifts: Dunne, S. Scott, Knowles, McGovern, Dillon, Boyd, Glenny, McGinty, Wallace, Mitchell, Bigiramana

Subs: Solis Grogan, J. Scott, King, Alves, Galvin, Maguire, Hutchinson

Cliftonville: Odumosu, Pepper, Addis, Newberry, Pettifer, Kearney, Hale, Conlan, Gormley, Glynn, Steven

Subs: Ridd, Curran, Donnelly, Piesold, Markey, Casey, Corrigan

Image source, bb

Glentoran manager Declan Devine says his side are "desperate to get that consistency" as his team struggles for form this season.

The east Belfast side are seventh in the table eight points off leaders Linfield having played a game more.

Next up is a trip to Mourneview Park to face Glenavon, a team that has historically caused them a few headaches.

"We know that when we are at our levels, we’re more than a match for anyone. We’ve had a few wobbles here and there, as most teams have had as well, but we’re certainly looking to improve on our consistency," Devine said.

"I really don’t think we’re too far away, but we really have to go and demonstrate it now and make sure that those little inconsistencies that have cost us over the course of the opening phase of games, we can rectify and try and put to bed.

"I think coming up to Christmas, you will start to see a bit more consistency from teams. There’s been a lot of surprises and a lot of games where there’s really nothing in it."

Image source, Presseye

Declan Caddell makes three changes to the starting XI who defeated Coleraine in the BetMcLean Cup on Tuesday night with Jimmy Callacher, Jordan Forsythe and Harry Franklin replacing Robbie Weir, Mal Smith and Lewis Barr, who all drop to the bench.

There is just the one alteration to the Loughgall side who were the victors against Glenavon last weekend with Alberto Balde starting and Ryan Waide not involved in today's squad.

Crusaders: Tuffey, Callacher, Lowry, Jewitt-White, Stewart, Blaney, Forsythe, O'Rourke, Offord, Nixon, Franklin.

Subs: Kerr, Weir, Williamson, Owens, Smith, Barr, Downey.

Loughgall: Gartside, McDermott, Rea, Kelly, Ferris, Norton, Gibson, Cartwright, Balde, Francis, McCloskey.

Subs: Turker, Murdock, McAleer, Harvey, Towe, Teggart, Kelly.

Image source, BBC Sport

Crusaders manager Declan Caddell has been awarded October's manager of the month by the Northern Ireland Football Writers' Association.

The Crues recorded victories over Coleraine and Ballymena United in the Irish Premiership, along with a draw with Larne at Inver Park.

Caddell's side also knocked Linfield out of the County Antrim Shield and defeated Championship side Ballyclare Comrades in the BetMcLean Cup.

"It was a good month even though we lost to Linfield in the league. It's always difficult when you play a team back-to-back like that," said Caddell, who replaced long-serving Stephen Baxter as the manager at Seaview

"But to take seven points in the league and to progress in both cup competitions means it was a good month. It was nice to put a run together.

"On a personal level, it's nice to be named Manager of the Month by the Football Writers', as I never managed to win the Player of the Month award!".

Image source, Inpho

The hosts haven't won on their own patch in over a month, with the visitors also losing their last two on the spin to Coleraine and Larne respectively.

The last two head-to-head meetings between these two have resulted in goalless draws, with both managers hoping to gain three points this time around in the battle of the Glens at Mourneview Park.

Stephen McDonnell makes seven changes to his side that crashed out of the League Cup to Armagh City during the week. Just Gareth Deane, Len O'Sullivan, Barney McKeown and Jack Malone keep their place.

Declan Devine also changes things up with three alterations of his own. In come captain Marcus Kane, Aaron Wightman and James Douglas for Patrick McClean and the suspended Fuad Sule and James Singleton.

Glenavon: Deane, O'Sullivan, Marshall, Malone, Campbell, Quinn (capt), Atherton, McKeown, Carroll, O'Connor, McGovern.

Subs: Byrne, Haughey, Snoddy, McDaid, Doona, Lynch, Ward.

Glentoran: Gyollai, Kane (capt), Hvid, Connolly, Palmer, Donnelly, Fisher, Amos, Wightman, Douglas, Thorndike.

Subs: Mills, Lyons-Foster, Aouachria, Parfitt, Murphy, Lindsay, Jenkins.

Image source, BBC Sport