There was a very welcome addition to the list of memorable European nights at the Oval as the Glens went through to the second round of the Europa League after a thrilling penalty kicks victory over Renova of Macedonia.  After last week’s red cards for Jaimie McGovern and Elliott Morris manager Scott Young was forced to replace them with Aidan O’Kane and Aaron Hogg, both of whom were making their debuts for the Glens.

In the early stages the Macedonians seemed content to protect their lead from the first leg and indeed goalkeeper Armend Eljezi picked up a first half booking for time wasting.  As a result the Glens had the bulk of the early possession without really threatening the opposition goal, but were playing some neat football with Jim O’Hanlon causing the visiting defence problems.  There was a worrying moment early on when Renova’s Ismail Ismaili went down in the box under a challenge from Aidan O’Kane, but Finnish referee Petteri Kari ruled that he had got a touch on the ball and waved play on.  On twenty four minutes Ismaili put in a great cross from the right to find Fisnik Nuhi in acres of space but Renova’s captain somehow put the chance wide of the post.  This close shave seemed to spark the Glens into life and Darren Boyce and Kyle Cherry both had efforts on goal after good work by Andy Waterworth.

With thirty one minutes gone the home side got the breakthrough that they were desperate for.  Jason Hill, playing in a midfield role, laid the ball inside to Richard Clarke, making his one hundredth appearance for the Glens, who had found space twenty five yards out.  With the crowd baying for a first time shot he instead steadied himself, picked his spot and sent a brilliant curling effort over the ‘keeper to put the Glens in the driving seat in the tie.  Renova now needed a goal and could no longer afford to sit back.  On the stroke of half time they almost grabbed the equaliser when after a spell of pressure Muharem Bajrami’s twenty yard strike crashed back off the cross bar with Hogg beaten.

The visitors continued where they had left off at the start of the second half and had most of the possession, but they were starting to leave some gaps at the back which the Glens were quick to exploit.  Darren Boyce had two shots blocked in quick succession after a good cross from Andy Waterworth and a short time later the same player did well to make space for himself in the box but his low shot was well saved by Eljezi.  However Renova’s pressure finally paid off just before the hour; Bajrami cut in from the left and hit a low drive which was well saved by Hogg, but the rebound fell kindly for Ismaili who dispatched the ball high into the net to put the Macedonians ahead once again.

The previously buoyant home crowd now became more than a little subdued and this seemed to transmit itself to the players, forcing Scott Young to bring on Stephen Carson for his Glentoran debut in place of Aidan O’Kane.  Carson started to pose a threat down the Glentoran left but it was another substitute who gave the home supporters a moment that will live long in the memory of all those who were privileged to see it.  On seventy four minutes Martin Murray, having come on just a few minutes earlier in place of Jim O’Hanlon, picked up the ball just inside his own half, ran at a retreating  Renova defence and sent a stunning thirty yard drive flying into the top corner of the net for one of the best goals ever seen at the Oval.  With the teams now level on aggregate the home supporters could now sense victory and they nearly had it just four minutes later when Richard Clarke’s volley from twenty yards looked to heading for the same corner as Murray’s goal, but Eljezi pulled off a brilliant flying save to tip the ball over the bar.

The rest of the ninety minutes saw no further goals and so the Glens went into their first period of extra time in European competition since the CSKA Sofia game thirty years ago.  There was an early chance for Andy Waterworth after Kyle Cherry headed into the Renova area but neither ‘keeper was really tested during the extra half hour.  With five minutes left the Glens’ task was made a little easier when Renova substitute Boban Janchevski received his second yellow card for a deliberate hand ball and referee Kari gave him his marching orders, but the scores were still level at the final whistle and so we faced the drama of penalty kicks for the first time in Europe.

With the Glens going first the first eight kicks were bizarre as the Renova players seemed to replicate everything that was done by their Glentoran counterparts.  Andy Waterworth and Dushan Simovski both stroked home their team’s first kick with ease before Martin Murray and Ismail Ismaili hit the same part of the cross bar with theirs.  Darren Boyce and Fisnik Nuhi made no mistake with their efforts while both David Howland and Faruk Statovci then had theirs saved.  Jason Hill stepped up to take our fifth kick and confidently drove it into the net leaving Renova substitute Argjent Gafuri with the task of taking the game to sudden death.  His strike was comfortably saved by Aaron Hogg sparking wild celebrations on the pitch and in the stands as the Glens progressed to the second round to face Vorskla of the Ukraine.

Glentoran

Aaron Hogg, Johnny Taylor, Colin Nixon (Captain), Sean Ward, Aidan O’Kane (sub Stephen Carson), Kyle Cherry (sub David Howland), Richard Clarke, Jim O’Hanlon (sub Martin Murray), Jason Hill, Darren Boyce, Andy Waterworth

Glentoran TV Highlights

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