Glentoran dropped to 5th in the Sports Direct Premiership after an embarrassing 3-nil defeat at the Bet McLean Oval this afternoon.
Even before David Fisher was shown a straight red card in the 36th minute, the Co Armagh side were well in control of the game. They had scored twice and demonstrated a much greater hunger and desire than the home side.
Loughgall's opening goal came with just 5 minutes on the clock. Pablo Andrade crossed from the right and skipper, Nathaniel Ferris rose, unchallenged, to send his loopping header over Aaron McCarey and into the City End goal.
Lacklustre Glentoran almost went further behind just before the quarter hour mark. Fuad Sule conceded a free kick and when the ball was played into the area, Jordan Gibson's header (again unchallenged) went wide of the post. The Glens struggled to create anything meaningful apart from a Bobby Burns effort which was easily gathered by Berraat Turker and a low, dangerous cross from Daire O'Connor which the visitors scrambled clear. Benji Magee then might have doubled Loughgall's lead midway through the first half but he fired wide when well placed.
Glentoran's most dangerous player, Daire O'Connor, then broke on the right and set up an opportunity for David Fisher but the Glens' number 19's powerful shot was straight at the keeper. A foul on Junior then presented a chance for Fisher to put the ball into the Loughgall penalty area. His delivery was excellent and was met by captain, Luke McCullough but unfortunately for the home side, his effort was straight at Turker.There was another decent chance for Benji Magee on 29 minutes when Fuad Sule's pass to Paddy McClean fell short. Magee went for goal from the edge of the area but saw his shot go narrowly over the bar.
10 minutes before halftime Loughgall deservedly increased their advantage. Magee found Balde on the edge of the arera and he cut inside before finding Robbie Norton. Norton's strike was superb, finding the bottom corner with McCarey stranded. A minute later Glentoran's miserable day got even worse when a late challenge by David Fisher on Pablo Andrade saw the striker shown a straight red card.
Halftime: Glentoran 0-2 Loughgall
7 minutes into the second half the Glens were almost back in it. The ball was played to substitute, Josh Kelly and he was desperately unlucky to see his low, powerful drive strike the post. Glentoran looked to have a penalty shout on 58 minutes when Junior appeared to be held back as he attempted to get onto the end of a Sule cross. Nothing was given. Just after the hour mark Nathaniel Ferris really should have killed the game off when in a great position in the Sydenham End penalty area but he completely fluffed his effort. With 20 minutes remaining Benji Magee's shot from a tight angle was turned behind by Aaron McCarey with the Glens then clearing the resulting corner.
On 75 minutes Benji Magee broke down the left before picking out Ferris in the area but the big striker couldn't keep his shot on target. Ferris then outmuscled James Singleton and created a great opportunity for Magee to make it three. His goalbound effort was deflected onto the crossbar by Paddy McClean and McCarey was able to gather the rebound. In the final minute of added time a mix up between McClean and McCarey resulted in a penalty for Loughgall and it was perhaps fitting that Ferris, a thorn in Glentoran's side all afternoon, should dispatch it to make the final score Glentoran 0-3 Loughgall.
Photographs by PACEMAKER
Glentoran: McCarey, McClean, McCullough (c), Singleton, Russell (McGinn 41), Sule, Clucas (Kelly 41), Burns, O'Connor (Feeny 76), Junior (Wilson 76) & Fisher
