Paul O'Neill celebratesInpho

Larne moved to within a point of leaders Coleraine with the victory

Mark Jones
BBC Sport NI contributor

Larne had to come from behind to claim all three points against Glenavon with a 2-1 victory at Inver Park.

Luke Cartwright's first-half goal gave the Lurgan Blues the lead as the visitors chased their first points on the road this season.

But Second-half goals from Paul O'Neill and Conor McKendry completed the turnaround for the hosts before Mark Randall was dismissed late on.

The win leaves Larne one point behind league leaders Coleraine with a game in hand.

Second-half salvo saves Larne

Highlights: Larne 2-1 Glenavon

The Lurgan Blues carved out the first opening inside two minutes Jordan McMullan's sweet volley skimming past the upright.

Michael O'Connor went even closer moments later, rising above the pack to meet Corey Smith's corner with his powerful header rattling the crossbar and bouncing clear.

Larne threatened at the other end when Randall's whipped free-kick eventually fell to Tiarnan O'Connor, whose close-range strike cannon off the post.

Glenavon's danger from set-pieces eventually delivered the breakthrough as Paul McGovern swung in a pinpoint corner to Cartwright, who delivered a towering header into the net for his first league goal of the campaign.

Larne responded immediately after the interval as O'Neill seized on a loose clearance at the edge of the box, shifted onto his right and drilled a deflected effort low into the corner to drag the hosts level.

The home side then pushed forward with real purpose in search of a winner.

Substitute Matty Lusty should have completed the turnaround when Benji Magee's driven strike slipped from Mark Byrne's grasp and rolled kindly into Lusty's path, but with the goal gaping, he could only clip his finish off the post.

McKendry eventually provided the decisive moment 13 minutes from time. Lusty worked the ball wide to the winger, who steadied himself and guided a measured low finish beyond Byrne to lift Inver Park.

Late drama followed as Randall received a second yellow card for stopping a Glenavon break, forcing Larne to see out the closing stages a man light, but they held firm to secure a vital win in the race for the Gibson Cup.