Tuesday 15th December 2020, Kick Off 7.45pm
Tonight see’s our last home game before Christmas when we entertain Warrenpoint Town in a rearranged Danske Bank Premiership match
Warrenpoint have faced Glentoran 20 times in league action since first winning promotion to the IPL in 2013, which came just 3 years after they had been playing Mid Ulster League football. The Glens have won on 15 of those occasions, with 2 draws and 3 wins for 'Point.
Having been tipped by many to be facing another season of battling against relegation, Warrenpoint currently find themselves comfortably in 6th place, after taking a respectable 11 points from their first 9 games. They will still be smarting from Saturday's injury time defeat at Coleraine, which came at the added cost of first choice goalkeeper Gabriel Sava being sent off along with our former defender Gavin Peers. Both will now miss the trip to the Oval, with the experienced former Newry and Glenavon stopper Andy Coleman likely to deputize for Sava.
Former Glentoran and Ballymena midfielder Fra McCaffrey is Captain of the side and Striker Alan O'Sullivan will be looking to continue his good recent form at the Oval, having scored in both of their 2-1 defeats in East Belfast last season. Another player with an impressive scoring record in meetings between the sides last season is our returning midfielder Hrvoje Plum. As well as netting a trademark free kick in each of the Oval wins, Hrvoje also netted a brace in the 4-0 win at Milltown.
Mick McDermott: “I was very pleased with both the performance and the result here against Carrick Rangers on Saturday. What I asked the boys to do was simply show the commitment and energy they show here in training every day. They did that and we saw in the performance and the clinical finishing exactly what we’re capable of.
Obviously Hrvoje’s return was a major talking point and understandably so as he gives us something different because he's creative and attack minded. We’ve been trying to get him into the team for the past few weeks but after an injury like his you have to pick your moment carefully, which we did. It was a special moment for him when he scored, and I think it showed what it meant to the rest of the team because they all made a point of congratulating him. The fans love him. Hrvoje won us some big games last season before the injury and I know he’ll do it again.
Hrvoje’s return was also great for Dale Gorman as it allowed Dale to get up the pitch further and have a real impact on the game as he did with several excellent assists on Saturday. Dale had a great game.
There were a number of very satisfying aspects to Saturday’s game and as well as the quality and number of our goals it was very pleasing to get a clean sheet. We were strong all over the pitch and we need to build on that. That performance has been coming for some time. I thought everyone did well, from the goalkeeper right through the team, including the subs. The quality of some of the goals was outstanding and the fact that Robbie got another hat trick and Rory got a much deserved first goal made it a good day all round.
Warrenpoint are a well organised team with several very good players. We played them in pre-season and had a good win, but they’ve been performing very well. They were unfortunate to just draw with Larne and had a great win over Linfield a couple of weeks ago. So we will treat them with the same respect we do any opponent, and we have prepared strongly for this one”.
Don’t forget our final bucket collection for the Glentoran Christmas Appeal is tonight. You can read more about this week’s appeal HERE
A reminder that only season holders groups A and B will be admitted to tomorrow night’s match. Supporters are reminded that they can access our GlensTV live stream of the match by signing up or signing in here. Live match coverage can be purchased for £7 (which includes access to a full replay of the action), while a delayed stream will cost £3. Remember, our stream will commence just after 2.30 with a match preview programme, and our match commentator Aaron Agnew will be accompanied as co-commentator by our legendary, quadruple title winning skipper Paul Leeman. Season ticket holders not able to attend the game will have free access to the stream as usual HERE
