Glenavon an 'extremely dangerous' game admits Ruaidhri Higgins

Coleraine head coach Ruaidhri Higgins says his players must be 'fully focused' when they welcome bottom of the table Glenavon to the Showgrounds on Friday night.

The warning comes after a recent mini revival by the Mourneview Park allied to some astute business in the January transfer window, bringing in the likes of former Glentoran duo Charlie Lindsay and Nathaniel Ferris on loan.

"Michael O'Connor's done a good job since he's went in there," said Higgins in his pre match press conference.

"They've beaten the likes of Linfield and Glentoran and they made life very difficult for Glentoran at the weekend, there was very little in that match.

"They've recruited well too. They've signed good players and they're now a different proposition to what they were earlier in the season.

"It's an extremely dangerous game and one that we have to be fully focused on.

"If we don't approach it mentally in the right manner then you can slip up but I hope we now have a group of players that are extremely professional and are ready to go," he added.

The match at the Showgrounds is one of two on Friday pitting full-time teams against part-time opposition, Larne hosting Bangor in the other at Inver Park, something which has irked Lurgan Blues boss O'Connor.

But while Higgins has a degree of sympathy for his opposite number he argues that Friday night games are financially beneficial to the Bannsiders.

"I can understand where the likes of Michael is coming from," continued Ruaidhri.

"But, from speaking to people around the club here, financially it's better for the club, though there's positives and negatives to it.

"You look at the amount of people who play in Saturday leagues who are missing out coming here on a Saturday; people can come on a Friday night.

"From a negative point of view we would have a session less to prepare than what we would if it was a Saturday game, so you're losing that advantage.

"Instead of training four or five times you're training three or four times so there's pros and cons to it, but I do get Michael's frustration.

"I think Lee Feeney might have said something similar coming here on a Friday night but, in my opinion, and not everyone will agree with my opinion, there's many reasons why it's a good thing and one or two why it's not."

Coleraine against Glenavon has a 7.45pm kick-off at the Showgrounds on Friday.