Another disappointing home performance by Glentoran at the Oval this afternoon saw them fall further behind the leading pack in the race for this season’s Carling Premiership title.

There were significant changes to the starting XI with manager, Scott Young shuffling the back four. Jaimie McGovern was at right-back with Sean Ward moving across to fill the other full-back berth. Jimmy Callacher was partnered in central defence by Johnny Taylor with skipper, Colin Nixon on the bench. Richard Clarke was restored to the midfield and Darren Boyce lined up alongside Gary Hamilton (given the captain’s armband) in attack.

Glentoran began attacking the Sydenham End with a strong wind at their backs. The hard-working Richard Clarke broke from midfield on 6 minutes but was pulled down 25 yards from goal. Jimmy Callacher took the free kick but his shot was blocked by Philip Simpson. Clarke then gone on the end of a good move involving Hamilton, Boyce and Carson but his shot was too high and didn’t trouble Billy Brennan. Hamilton (12), Howland (16) and Clarke (20) all had chances to break the deadlock whilst at the other end Gary Liggett’s effort was blocked by the Glentoran defence. On 27 minutes the Glens went in front with one of their best goals this season. Carson took a return pass from Hamilton before firing a superb cross-field ball to Clarke. He set up David Howland who fired home from 16 yards. The lead lasted just 3 minutes though. Mark Patton broke clear down the left and his shot wasn’t held by Elliott Morris and Liggett bundled the ball over the line. A minute later the Whites nearly went in front! Johnny Taylor was caught in possession by Liggett and Morris, at full stretch, turned his 20-yard effort round the post. A 35-yard free kick by Gary Hamilton was deflected just past the post (34) and from the resulting corner both Taylor and Callacher had efforts on goal blocked. Sean Ward tried his luck from 30 yards (36) but Brennan’s fingertips deflected it over the bar. On 38 minutes Lisburn Distillery went in front. Jimmy Callacher was dispossessed in midfield and Liggett put David Cushley clear. He drove the ball from the edge of the area low past Morris and into the far corner. Right on the half-time whistle Gary Hamilton picked up a pass from Darren Boyce but his shot came back off the post.

Richard Gibson and Matthew Burrows came on for the second half and Burrows grabbed his first goal of the season on 49 minutes. The move started on the right with a long throw-in from McGovern. The ball was flicked on by Gibson to Howland and he found Burrows who headed home from just inside the 6-yard box. Again though we failed to hold onto the lead; Liggett (52) waltzing through a static Glentoran defence before drilling a low shot into the bottom corner. On 66 minutes Glentoran drew level again. McGovern’s cross from the right wing was met by Richard Gibson who stooped to head home from 6 yards. 4 minutes later a Sean Ward cross from the left was met by a stretching Burrows but his volley was too high. Ex-Glens player, Grant Gardiner went close with a free kick on 72 minutes before Mark Patton tested Morris with a long-range drive on 74. Gardiner went close again on 81 minutes with a dipping 30-yard effort which just cleared the crossbar. At this stage Lisburn Distillery looked the more likely to grab the win. Patton was denied twice within a matter of minutes; first by Morris and then by Taylor’s block. With just 2 minutes remaining a long ball to the edge of the Whites’ box caused problems for Brennan. He came to punch the ball but didn’t get it cleanly, crashing into Burrows on the edge of the area. Gibson put the ball in the net but bizarrely the referee, Andris Treimanis awarded Distillery a free-kick and booked Gibson! In the last of the 3 added minutes Lisburn Distillery broke again and had a man over in the area. Than man, Liggett wasted the chance though, skying his shot with the goal at his mercy.

Glentoran: Morris, McGovern, Ward, Taylor, Callacher, Howland, Clarke, Martyn, Carson, Hamilton (captain) & Boyce.
Subs: Gibson for Boyce & Burrows for Martyn (46) and Beggs for Carson (81).                                                                                         

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