Match Report

But a stirring second half performance from the Glens saw them earn a well deserved victory, and for the third week in a row illustrated that the team have the heart to come back to win after going behind.

But the match could not have gotten off to a worse start. Just two minutes in, former Glens' player Marty Hunter was fouled on the edge of the Glentoran penalty box.

Larne defender Ross Black stepped up and curled a left footed free kick goalwards. The effort took a slight deflection off Kyle Neill, which wrong footed Glens 'keeper Dougherty, and found it's way into the back of the net.

Glentoran almost found the perfect reply to this early set back, when David Scullion picked the ball up just inside the Larne half.

He drifted past a couple of challenges on the left wing, and cut inside before unleashing a right foot effort. The shot seemed like it was heading for the bottom corner, but goalkeeper Cairnduff was able to get down and produce his first good save of the afternoon.

Over the next 15 minutes the match settled into a midfield battle, with neither side managing to create clear cut opportunities. Then Gary Hamilton picked the ball up on the left wing, and played the ball central to Leeman.

The captain switched play neatly to McGovern on the right wing, and his tantalizing cross was somehow put over the crossbar by a Larne defender.

Just moments later it was McGovern again providing service into the box. This time it was a long throw-in, which was flicked on by the head of Leeman, but Fitzgerald headed over while well placed.

By this point, half chances were starting to come the way of both teams, but neither goalkeeper was being tested.  Both sets of players were attempting to find their aim as Glentoran's Hamilton, Hamill and Leeman all saw their efforts miss the target.

Then on 41 minutes, the Glens found themselves trailing even further behind.

A long free kick into the penalty box came to Marty Hunter. He did well to turn and lay the ball off to Marty Verner, who switched the ball to his left foot and fired home to double the home side's lead.

Despite playing moderately well in the first half, the Glens now found themselves trailing by two goals at the break, and Alan McDonald saw fit to make two changes at half time. Michael Halliday and Michael Ward replacing Rory Hamill and Jamie McGovern.

The second half started brightly, and Larne showed their intent to battle for every ball when some hard challenges were put in, most notably a late tackle on Hamilton.

But Glentoran were playing with more purpose, and were determined to stick to the second half game plan.

A couple of half chances came in the opening minutes of the half, but the break through came on 50 minutes. Scullion picked the ball up on the left wing and did well to maintain possession. He eventually got a cross in, which was inch perfect and allowed Michael Halliday to stroke home from 6 yards out, pulling one back for the Glens and notching up his first goal of the season.

And a minute later it was Scullion and Halliday again causing havoc in the home defence. Scullion had switched to the right wing, and his ball into the middle was intelligently flicked on by Halliday. The ball just wouldn't come down quickly enough for Michael Ward, and a Larne defender was able to get the ball behind for a corner.

Glentoran were clocking up a lot of corners at this point in the game, and Gary Hamilton's delivery from the left wing was posing problems for the home side. First Paul Leeman and then Philip Simpson looked like they might find the equalizer from Hamilton's crosses, but the home side were living a charmed life at this point and the ball stayed out of their goal.

Hamilton is used to applying the finishing touches, but today it looked likely that he would be the provider for someone else to get on the score sheet. On 54 minutes he delivered another perfect cross, but Colin Nixon was unable to convert an excellent opportunity from just a couple of yards out.

And it was indeed Hamilton who supplied the ball for the equalizer on 60 minutes. Scullion collected the ball midway inside the Glentoran half. After sprinting half the length of the pitch, he found Hamilton. Hamilton steadied himself, and his right foot cross found the head of Kyle Neill, who made no mistake in leveling the score at 2-2.

By this point it looked like their would be only one winner.

Hamilton himself got his first real sight of goal a few minutes later, when good play from Michael Ward on the right saw him put in an excellent cross. Hamilton was unable to direct his shot on target.

Glentoran piled on the pressure, with Hamilton and Halliday in particular testing the goalkeeper. Both players saw point-blank headed efforts excellently blocked by the goalkeeper.

With 20 minutes left, Larne sent a reminder to the Glens that they will need to take one of these chances, or risk being punished for it.

A left wing free kick came to Marty Hunter, who headed straight at Dougherty in the Glens goal.

Glentoran continued to press for a winner, with Larne barely being able to get the ball out of their half. But it took until 84 minutes before a clear chance came, but Scullion's header flew just over the bar when he perhaps should have done better.

And on 89 minutes it looked like it was just not going to be the Glens' day. As the ball was bouncing around the Larne penalty box, it was about to drop to Halliday when it appeared that a Larne defender punched the ball clear.

Referee Mark Courtney turned down shouts for a penalty, and it seemed a draw was on the cards.

But Halliday was not to be denied. On the stroke of full time, Hamilton and Scullion combined, and Scullion's cross found Halliday unmarked in the box. His bullet header made sure that McDonald's men maintained their 100% start to the season, and got the result that their second half performance more than deserved.

Courtesy of
Russell Pritchard/
PRESSEYE