James Costello is challenged by Newry's Danny O'Connor

Hugh Dickson's 65th-minute goal helped Glenavon clinch their first win in the Carling Premiership in 12 games as they saw off Newry City at Mourneview Park.

Glenavon's James Costello beat Newry keeper Neil Gallagher on 43 minutes but Kevin Keegan cleared off the line.

Ryan Harpur hit the Newry woodwork twice after the break with Trevor Molloy repeating the dose from the rebound after the second effort.

But the goal came on 65 minutes as Dickson headed Harpur's cross home.

Glenavon had moved top of the table back on 3 October after winning 3-0 at the Newry Showgrounds.

But Glenavon's league campaign has been a tale of woe since then and they went into Tuesday's match without a win in 11 Premiership matches.

However, the recall of striker Costello appeared to pep up the Glenavon attack

Costello, preferred to Tony Grant, fired across the face of goal early on and his workrate troubled the Newry defence all evening.

Newry keeper Gallagher denied Costello in the 20th minute although Glenavon had a scare on 22 minutes when Andy Graham flicked a Ruairi Devlin cross inches wide.

Gallagher was in action again in the 26th minute as he turned a Jay Magee volley out for a corner.

Keegan's clearance off the line to deny Costello kept the score 0-0 going into the interval.

Glenavon continued to boss the game after the break as Harpur's 25-yard drive smashed off the woodwork in the 46th minute.

Harpur rattled the underside of the crossbar on 62 minutes with Molloy, incredibly doing the same from the rebound.

However, Glenavon's pressure finally yielded a goal three minutes later as Dickson headed Harpur's cross to the net following a short corner from Paul Carvill.

The win moves Glenavon above Portadown into seventh place in the table while Newry remain in ninth.

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