For the second time this season, Glentoran took the spoils from tonight’s ‘Big Two’ derby at The Oval as Marcus Kane’s goal on the stroke of half-time made the difference.
Despite the snowfall and low temperatures across Northern Ireland in recent days, the match went ahead as a few thousand fans braved the conditions. The Glentoran fans were hoping the form-book would go out the window for this one, whilst the Blues fans were hoping their team would kick on from a spirited 1-0 win away to Larne last weekend. Unsurprisingly, David Healy named an unchanged team. However, the Blues were nowhere near that level at The Oval in what was a scrappy first half. The first half was combative and cagey. The Blues went with a direct approach which brought about very little creativity or chances.
Prior to Kane’s goal at the end of the first half it was a case of both teams having one decent opportunity apiece. Glentoran’s came in the fourth minute when winger Dylan Connolly made a well-timed run to latch onto a ball into the left channel before teeing up Jay Donnelly who drew a decent save from David Walsh. David Fisher tried to score the rebound but was flagged for offside.
The Glens also went close around the half-hour when James Singleton’s shot from distance took a significant deflection off Scot Whiteside which took it marginally wide of the post. Had it went inside of the post, Walsh would probably have been beaten by the deflection.
The Blues’ chance came in the 23rd minute when Cammy Ballantyne got the ball inside the Glentoran box before showing good vision to see Joel Cooper in space at the edge of the box. He pulled the trigger with a first-time shot and almost replicated his goal at Larne last week, only for an excellent piece of goalkeeping to get down and push it onto the post. Cooper was unlucky but it was about all the Blues created in the first half.
Glentoran scored at what was the perfect time from their perspective, taking the lead in the one minute of additional of added time at the end of the half. It came about from a corner which was earned through Danny Amos’ cross from the left finding Dylan Connolly at the back post where he cushioned it down to Jay Donnelly in a central area where his goalward shot was blocked wide by Jamie Mulgrew. Amos then took the corner and, amidst a crowded goalmouth, David Walsh tried to punch it clear, only for it to hit teammate Dane McCullough and sit kindly for Glentoran captain to score from close range.
HT: Glentoran 1-0 Linfield
The second half continued to be scrappy and hard-fought between the teams, although the pattern of the match changed on 58 minutes when Glentoran went down to ten men when teenage midfielder James Douglas was sent off, receiving a second booking for a high foot which caught Jamie Mulgrew around the head.
Naturally, now having a numerical advantage on the pitch, Linfield took control of the play, but they faced a task in breaking down a stubborn backline who were throwing everything on the line to preserve their lead.
The Blues had a really strong spell after the sending off but ultimately didn’t make it count by turning it into goals. There was a lack of cutting edge from Linfield, coupled with Glentoran’s good goalkeeping and heroic individual defending at times.
A big chance arrived four minutes after the sending off when Matthew Fitzpatrick ran from right to left across the edge of the box which teed the ball up for Dane McCullough to storm onto just inside the box before drawing another good save from the home goalkeeper Gyollai who rushed out and used his big frame to save with his chest.
Kirk Millar went close a short time later with a free-kick which was won by Chris Shields who surged forward from the back before being clipped by Connolly. Millar hit the free-kick from just outside the box and he got it up and down but it went narrowly wide of the post.
The Blues had a strong penalty appeal dismissed with 15 minutes remaining. Joel Cooper and Marcus Kane challenged for a dropping ball inside the box, with Kane taking a swing and making no contact with the ball, flattening Cooper in the process as the winger hit the deck, but referee Tim Marshall was unmoved.
Linfield then had their best chance to equalise in the 79th minute but were unable to take it. A corner delivery was punched out by the Glentoran goalkeeper, only as far as Josh Archer on the penalty spot and he went for power but fired his effort over the crossbar. It would have been very similar to the goal Glentoran scored had it gone in.
In the final ten minutes Scot Whiteside had a good effort with a header when he got strong contact on Ethan McGee’s long throw-in into the box, but again the goalkeeper made the save, tipping it over the crossbar. Substitute, Chris McKee also threatened but his goalbound header unfortunately struck Marcus Kane in the face.
In six minutes of stoppage time a Joel Cooper cross went through the box untouched before Kirk Millar retrieved it to set Ethan McGee who looked certain to score at close range, only for Glentoran midfielder Fuad Sule who threw his body at it to make a remarkable block.
The Blues’ lack of cutting edge cost them dearly this evening and results elsewhere tomorrow could potentially see their lead at the top slashed to five points. Linfield meet Glentoran twice more before the end of the year. Firstly, in the League Cup at Windsor Park on Tuesday 4 December, and then back to The Oval on Boxing Day for the annual festive League derby, so David Healy will hope to avenge their two derby defeats of this season to date. However, the immediate focus has to be next Saturday’s home League match against a spirited Portadown team.
FT: Glentoran 1-0 Linfield