‘Gers boss Stuart King handed debuts to summer recruits Seanan Clucas and Luke McCullough, with the returning Paul Heatley taking up a place on the bench.
The hosts threatened first at Taylors Avenue as Joe Crowe’s corner-kick deep to the back post found Cameron Stewart, but the towering defender failed to hit the target with his header.
Glenavon proceeded to enjoy the majority of possession in the opening stages but were unable to create any real openings for marksman David McDaid or his fellow forwards.
With 16 minutes on the clock, the ‘Gers opened the scoring.
From another Crowe corner deep into the penalty area, Albert Watson got the knock down and, when the ball looped back up into the air, Curtis Allen was typically alive in the box to flick it past Gareth Deane with his head and into the net despite the best defensive efforts of David Toure on the line.
That goal seemed to spark Rangers into life and Allen was very close to grabbing his second goal of the afternoon a little over ten minutes after his first.
One-on-one with Deane from Nedas Maciulaitis’ through ball, he curled his shot past the ‘keeper only to watch in agony as it came back off the post before being cleared by Mark Haughey.
However, the ‘Gers would not have to rue that missed opportunity as they doubled their advantage in the 32nd minute.
Maciulaitis was quick to capitalise on a defensive lapse by Haughey which allowed him to run through on goal, round Deane and slot into the empty net.
Stephen McDonnell’s side then crafted a good chance to halve the deficit as James Donna's delivery from the left flank found midfielder Keith Ward in the box, but he failed to get a shot off before being crowded out by the home defence.
It was a case of game management for the ‘Gers following the interval with little notable action in the opening half hour of the second period.
Perhaps the most joyous moment in that spell for the home crowd was the introduction of Paul Heatley who received an especially warm welcome as he took to the pitch as a Carrick player once again.
Danny Gibson did manage to find the net, though it was ruled out after Watson, who had headed the ball on, was adjudged to have been offside.
The centre-forward then missed the target when Heatley squared the ball to him following a Carrick counter-attack up the pitch.
As the game drew to a close, Carrick heroically kept their clean sheet intact after a goalmouth scramble ensued when Len O’Sullivan’s shot came back off the post.
Luke McCullough blocked Peter Campbell’s initial shot before the Glenavon man’s follow up was saved by Ross Glendinning, and when the ball broke to O’Sullivan again, his attempt was cleared off the line by Kurtis Forsythe before substitute Kyle Cherry ended the chaos by putting the ball out of play.
Carrick Rangers: Ross Glendinning; Albert Watson, Cameron Stewart, Luke McCullough; Kurtis Forsythe, Seanan Clucas (Kyle Cherry, 82), Joe Crowe (Mark Surgenor, 74), Ben Buchanan-Rolleston; Nedas Maciulaitis (Paul Heatley, 68); Danny Gibson, Curtis Allen (Emmett McGuckin, 82).
Unused substitutes: Ben McCauley, Ronan Kalla, Josh Andrews.
Bookings: Cameron Stewart (42’)
Glenavon: Gareth Deane; David Toure (James Carroll, 55), Mark Haughey, Niall Quinn; Rhys Marshall, Matthew Snoddy, Keith Ward (Michael O’Connor, 55), Len O’Sullivan; Peter Campbell, James Doona; David McDaid (Jamie Doran, 71).
Unused substitutes: Mark Byrne, Harry Lynch, Calum Hamilton, Luke McGerrigan.
Bookings: James Carroll (76’)
Referee: Declan Hassan
Player of the Match: Kurtis Forsythe
