A Dean Fitzgerald goal in each half was enough for this much-changed Glentoran side to see off Comber Rec at The Oval tonight.

Alan McDonald made 10 changes to the starting line up for tonight's game, which provided a useful exercise and an opportunity for him to assess the squad members that have not yet featured in the CIS Cup campaign.

And it was one of those players who grabbed the bosses attention on 14 minutes, when Fitzgerald picked up the ball, and after exchanging possession with Rory Hamill, he effortlessly waltzed through the visitors defence and applied a left foot finish to open the scoring.

On the half hour mark, Jason Hill thought he had double the lead when Hamill and Berry combined to create an opening for him. Hill picked up the ball and finished well while one-on-one with the goal keeper.

Everyone in the ground thought he had scored, the referee included, but a very late flag from the linesman eventually resulted in the effort being very harshly ruled out for offside. 

In a horrible twist of fate, Elliott Morris saw his evening cruelly ended on 55 minutes due to injury. Morris came off his line to collect a through-ball at the feet of Comber's Gordon Leckey. But Leckey was determined to not let the ball go without a struggle.

His over-zealous attempt to reach the ball saw his late challenge catch Morris, who had to be replaced by young Wayne Drummond, and helped off the pitch.

Jonathan Bowers entered the fray on 66 minutes, and his impact was felt immediately as he provided a cross for Fitzgerald's second goal of the season.

The right wing cross caused havoc in the visiting defence, and Fitzgerald capitalized on the indecision to nod home and double the tally with what would prove to be the last goal of the evening.

Photographs Courtesy of Russell Pritchard/PRESSEYE