Glenavon FC — Loughgall: 4:1, Championship

Glentoran secured a 4:1 win over Laghal in the Championship regular season on Friday evening. The result moves the hosts two points clear at second place, while Laghal remain seventh after nine matches.

By then the visitors had already seen their evening unravel. Two red cards for the away side changed the complexion of the fixture before the scoreline suggested any real contest had been lost.

And here's the thing about form. Glentoran arrived unbeaten in three, having taken points from Newington and Ballinamallard in consecutive outings. Laghal's recent run told a different story — two defeats and a draw in their last three outings.

The statistics paint a straightforward picture. Glentoran registered 111 attacks to 94, though corners told a quieter tale with just one for the hosts against none for the visitors. Yellow cards reached four for the home side and two for the visitors, but the red cards are what shape the narrative.

To be fair, the scoreboard does not lie. Glentoran now sit 17 points from Laghal's 11, a gap that feels wider than three matches might suggest when one side has conceded twice as many goals across their last five games.