Linfield lost their grip on the Bet McLean Cup this evening as a late goal from James Douglas won Glentoran this Round of 32 clash at Windsor Park.
Having won the competition in each of the previous two seasons, the Blues were hoping to make it three-in-a-row. Unfortunately for Linfield, it’s a hat-trick of derby defeats instead, having lost both League matches to Glentoran so far this season.
The team news brought a start for Linfield’s Stephen Fallon, his first since February after a torrid run of injuries. The midfielder returned against Portadown as a sub at the weekend, and he came through 58 minutes unscathed tonight. Similarly, central defender Ben Hall came through 90 minutes on his first start of the season. Rhys Annett and Josh Archer returned to the bench after missing the weekend through injury, and Chris Johns returned in between the sticks.
The Blues started the match brightly and in the opening ten minutes they were getting joy down the left. Euan East at left-back was proving a useful outlet and he got high up the pitch to deliver two crosses which were both well defended in the early stages. After that, it’s something the Blues probably didn’t do enough of, and the first half turned out to be uneventful.
There was only one real decent chance in the first half and it came for Glentoran. The away team broke after nipping the ball off Chris Shields in midfielder. Dylan Connolly crossed from the right for striker David Fisher in a central position just outside the box and he struck sweetly with a first-time effort which was well saved by Chris Johns down to his right.
The closest Linfield came to scoring in the first half was when Stephen Fallon unlocked a deep Glentoran rearguard with a neat threaded pass into Matthew Fitzpatrick inside the box. He drove a low effort towards goal but was denied by the goalkeeper’s foot.
David Healy was forced into a substitution in the 39th minute when Scot Whiteside hobbled off the pitch with an injury. The central defender was replaced by Matthew Orr which prompted a reshuffle with Orr going to right-back, Ethan McGee moving from right-back into midfield, and Chris Shields dropping back from midfield into centre back.
HT: Linfield 0-0 Glentoran
After a dull first half, the pace of the match increased after the break. The Blues had the better of it in the second half but were unable to turn pressure into goals. They went close twice within five minutes of the restart, firstly with Joel Cooper turning sharply to fire a low strike just wide from 20 yards, and then through Stephen Fallon when the Blues caught Glentoran out with a short corner, but his left-footed shot from inside the box was well saved by the goalkeeper who dived down to his right.
In the 53rd minute, Glentoran midfielder James Singleton was booked for a challenge on Matthew Orr and he had no complaints. Then, three minutes later, Joel Cooper beat Singleton who cynically hauled him down from behind. A free-kick was awarded on the right side of the pitch, with Singleton perhaps very fortunate that a second yellow card didn’t accompany it.
The Blues were then agonisingly close to an opener in the 62nd minute when Joel Cooper did brilliantly to beat three Glentoran defenders which sent him through on goal before his shot struck the goalkeeper, resulting in the ball spinning marginally wide of the post when many thought it was destined for the back of the net.
Glentoran then started to come into it a bit more with striker Jay Donnelly slicing wide a half-chance, and it turned into a real physical battle with chances few and far between.
Linfield looked the more likely to score for a large part of the second half on the balance of play, but Glentoran became a threat on the break once Jenkins came on in as a substitute. On one occasion he broke down the right and tried to square it for Donnelly, but Matthew Orr stepped in with a good bit of defending. Meanwhile, Cooper broke down the right before cutting inside to strike on his stronger left foot towards the near post, almost catching the goalkeeper out but he saved well down to his left.
The Glens then grabbed a late winner two minutes later when Fuad Sule broke down the right to hook a cross in; Ben Hall got his head on it but the Blues were second to the second ball which fell for young Glentoran midfielder James Douglas to volley in from a central position just inside the box.
A disappointing night for the Blues who need to bounce back on Saturday when they travel to Stangmore Park to face Dungannon Swifts. The Blues should also be determined to begin the process of making up for their poor derby record when they meet the Glens again in the Boxing Day derby at The Oval.
FT: Linfield 0-1 Glentoran