CLIFTONVILLE held off a spirit Glenavon charge to secure the points from this gripping clash at Solitude.

Marty Donnelly might have fired the Reds in front after just three minutes with a curling 25-yard free-kick.

But, on 17 minutes, visitors Glenavon grabbed the advantage after Ciaran Doherty laid the ball off for Matthew Burrows to slot past Ryan Brown into the bottom corner.

Cliftonville levelled seven minutes later, however, through Ciaran Caldwell when he got a touch to a Chris Scannell delivery across the six yard box.

And Tommy Breslin's men moved in front on 34 minutes following a Diarmiud O'Carroll cross from the right for Scannell to volley home.

Glenavon player-manager Gary Hamilton came close to levelling when he made the most of a Mark Clarke error but could only turn the ball onto an upright at the second attempt.

And it was to prove a costly miss when, right at the end of the first half, Caldwell clocked up his second of the game with a rifled effort from 12 yards.

The game was over as a contest four minutes into the second half when Scannell doubled his tally with a flick over Coleman after O'Carroll played the ball in from the left.

Not content with that the Reds went in search of further goals with Caldwell twice coming close to his hat-trick around the hour mark.

One effort was pushed around the post by Coleman moments before a cracking effort came back off the underside of the bar.

The visitors pulled a goal back on 77 minutes after Burrows slotted home at the back post although 'keeper Brown appeared to think he had the ball covered.

Glenavon then cut the deficit to a single goal with three minutes left after Brian McCaul converted from the spot after Clarke had upended Andrew Mitchell.

The drama wasn't over, however. The Reds were awarded a penalty themselves with a minute remaining following a Brendan Shannon challenge on Liam Boyce but Boyce was subsequently unable to convert after Coleman pulled off a superb stop.

Cliftonville: Brown, Holland, Caldwell, C. Scannell, Donnelly, Smyth, O'Carroll, Seydak, Catney, Clarke, Johnston subs Garrett (replaced Johnston 59), Templeton (not used), Gormley (replaced O'Carroll 65), Lynch (not used), Boyce (replaced Scannell 65)

Glenavon: Coleman, Shannon, Neill, McCaul, Burrows, Hamilton, McAllister, Jonny Magee, Hagan, Doherty, Convery subs Singleton (not used), McKnight (not used), Gordon (replaced Hamilton 77), Mitchell (replaced Doherty 58), Grant (replaced McAllister 46)

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• Jonny Magee and Diarmuid O'Carroll (Picture: Darren Kidd/PressEye.com)