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Colin Coates on the youthful exuberance helping to fire resurgent Glenavon

A picture of Glenavon players and fans celebrating
-Credit:INPHO/Jonathan Porter


Colin Coates hailed the contribution of Glenavon's teenage stars as they played another telling role in the club's resurgence. The Lurgan Blues have only lost once since Coates joined new manager Paddy McLaughlin at Mourneview Park.

The faced a big test on Friday night travelling to this season's surprise package, Dungannon Swifts, but they passed it with flying colours. Even when the Swifts wiped out the visitors' two-goal lead in the second half Glenavon pushed on again with Jack Malone grabbing the winner with 10 minutes to go.

Paul McGovern came off the bench to set Malone up for the clincher replacing fellow teenager Christopher Atherton, who was involved in David McDaid's opening goal. Both players have played their part in the Lurgan Blues impressive form over the last month and Coates said they have earned their chance.

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"They play with a freedom but obviously you're trying to fit them within a system that you're playing but at the same time they bring that freedom," he said. "Chris just wants to get on the ball and get at people, you're just trying to encourage and guide as you can, but you really just let them go and play, and with the talent they have they're always a threat for you.

"Paul's probably been a wee bit frustrated over recent weeks as he hasn't maybe played as much as he would have liked, but that's credit to Chris who's been excellent.

"In football if you get the shirt and put performances in then you hold on to it. Paul's done himself plenty of favours over the last couple of weeks. He was excellent when he came on against Ballymena, he did well against Dundela on Tuesday and he was excellent when he came on against Dungannon.

"That's all we can ask of him is when he gets an opportunity that he makes an impact. You have to remember he's only 16, you know, he's only a young lad, he's still in school and so is Chris, so we can't expect too much of them, but we're certainly willing to give them those opportunities to go and impress."

Coates was also full of praise for two-goal hero Malone after his brace won the points for Glenavon. "They were two brilliant finishes from Jack," he said. "Since we've come in he's been first class. He's been one of the ones beating the drum in terms of being first out to training and you know he's always ready to go, so he's he's been brilliant.

"He's got that tenacity and the energy to get about the park, but also that quality on the ball, which you're always looking for from a from a central midfield player and his two finishes were top drawer.

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"For the second one we pushed him a bit higher because we brought Rhys on try and get him involved higher up the pitch. To be fair to him he's made a 40-50 yard run to get into the box when it would have been maybe easy to have taken a breather. He earned that goal and credit to him."

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