Glenavon remain in contention for a European play-off place in the Irish Premiership after a 1-0 win at nine-man Ballymena United.
Matthew Fitzpatrick’s 16th goal of the season earned a fourth successive league win to move Glenavon four points clear of Carrick Rangers in seventh.
Dougie Wilson and Steven McCullough were sent off late on for the hosts.
The Irish Cup finalists remain in ninth position and they have now gone 12 league games without a victory.
After a slow opening, Glenavon took the lead with the first meaningful opening on 18 minutes.
Isaac Baird stood up a cross from the right flank to the near post and Fitzpatrick nipped in between keeper Sean O’Neill and defender Wilson to glance home a header.
Ballymena came close to an equaliser just after the half-hour when Wilson headed a free kick back into the danger area and Craig Farquhar’s header was brilliantly finger-tipped past the post by Rory Brown.
In the second period, Baird had an opening for Glenavon after Farquhar lost possession inside his own half but as the young midfielder tried to guide his shot into the bottom corner, O’Neill was on hand to turn the effort behind.
Ballymena began to gain more impetus with a Robbie McVarnock shot brilliantly blocked by Sean Ward, while a clever turn and shot from Sean Graham was turned behind by Brown.
Glenavon came close to adding a second with six minutes left when Aaron Rogers forced a shot goalwards through a crowded penalty area but Mikey Place was on hand to clear off the line.
Ballymena’s misery was compounded with four minutes left when Wilson was sent off for a second yellow card.
And 10 quickly became nine after McCullough was red-carded two minutes later for reacting to a challenge from Jack Malone.