Glentoran’s run of poor home form continued as second half goals from Jamie Tomelty and Kevin Braniff saw Portadown leave the Oval with all three points this afternoon. 

Scott Young made changes in defence with captain Colin Nixon returning to the starting eleven and Aidan O’Kane coming in for his first domestic start for the Glens after a long injury lay off, while Richard Gibson returned up front in place of Darren Boyce.

The game was preceded by a presentation by Glentoran President, David Chick and Chairman Terence Brannigan to Portadown manager Ronnie McFall to mark his twenty five years in charge at Shamrock Park, and the veteran sprang a surprise with the inclusion of striker Matthew Tipton, scorer of three goals against the Glens this season, after a month long injury lay off.  It wasn’t long before Tipton was in the thick of the action sending a decent chance over the cross bar after just a couple of minutes.  Portadown looked the more threatening side in the opening exchanges with Neil McCafferty and Kevin Braniff always looking dangerous and McCafferty came close after fifteen minutes when his low shot from the edge of the box was deflected onto a post with Elliott Morris beaten.  The visitors struck the woodwork again five minutes later when the Glentoran defence failed to clear a long throw and Tipton’s close range effort clipped off the top of the cross bar.
The Glens were struggling to string together any passes of note, being reduced to long range efforts, and their first clear cut chance didn’t arrive until the twenty five minute mark.  David Howland picked the ball up on the edge of the area and shaped to shoot but instead laid the ball off to Richard Gibson whose shot had left Portadown goalkeeper David Miskelly stranded but Ross Redman cleared for a corner.

Early in the second half both sides had gilt edged opportunities to take the lead.  First the Glens took a quick free kick to Stephen Carson whose left wing cross looked certain to be turned in by Jimmy Callacher but he missed his kick with the goal gaping.  Just a minute later Kevin Braniff had an almost identical chance from a Jamie Tomelty cross but again the chance was squandered.  The home side began to show a bit more purpose going forward with Richard Gibson having a close range effort well blocked and Richard Clarke’s low drive being just tipped round the post by Miskelly.  However on sixty nine minutes it was Portadown who took the lead.  After some neat passing from the visitors McCafferty swung the ball from the left to the far post where Tomelty sent his header back across Morris and into the opposite corner. 
Scott Young sent on Matty Burrows in place of Richard Gibson to see if he could produce one of his rescue acts, but there was little threat to the Portadown goal for the remainder of the game.  In the final minute with the Glens pushing forward in search of an equaliser the ball was lost in midfield and Tipton broke down the right with only Sean Ward back covering.  Tipton’s accurate cross found Braniff unmarked in the middle and he had an easy finish to secure all three points and leave the Glens further adrift of the top three.

Glentoran
Elliott Morris, Sean Ward, Colin Nixon, Jimmy Callacher, Aidan O’Kane, Richard Clarke, Ciaran Martyn, David Howland, Stephen Carson, Gary Hamilton, Richard Gibson (sub Matty Burrows 74 mins)

Photos and Glentoran TV to follow.

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