Ballinamallard Utd 1 Glenavon 1 Ballinamallard had to be content with a point tonight as an 86th minute deflected effort from Gary Hamilton saw Glenavon deny the home side all three points at Ferney Park.

The result though was a fair one in the end and it pushes the Mallards nine clear of the relegation zone as their recent good run continued.

The game was slow to get going though with neither side really carving out anything of note in the first half.

It was Glenavon though who were the brighter side the opening period of the second half and it took a fine save from Richard Brush to deny Andy McGrory just after the hour mark.

The introduction of Niall Owens brought the Mallards to life though and it was his pinpoint cross from the left that set up the opener, the teenager placing a perfect ball on the head of Josh McIlwaine who continued his goalscoring form of recent weeks by nodding home.

Owens then raced through on goal but fired over while he was denied by a super stop from Jonathan Tuffey as the home side pressed for a second.

It was not to be though as Glenavon player-manager Gary Hamilton levelled matters with a deflected effort four minutes from time.

And it took another brilliant stop from Brush to ensure that the Mallards did not finish up empty handed as he saved with his feet from Rhys Marshall to leave it 1-1 at the end.