A crazy five minute spell in the last twenty minutes at the Showgrounds today cost Glentoran all three points and the opportunity to go second in the Sports Direct Premiership table.
Declan Devine made just one change today as James Singleton hadn’t fully recovered from a knee injury sustained against Carrick last week, but skipper Marcus Kane had recovered so started beside Frankie Hvid at centre back.
The match started on a rough note with Fuad Sule booked after 35 seconds for impeding Jamie Glackin in attack, but from that point on the Glens dominated the half. The best chance was after a quarter of an hour when Paddy McClean and Cameron Palmer combined well to put Jay Donnelly in a good position but the number 9 couldn’t penetrate the Coleraine defence.
The Glens took a deserved lead after twenty minutes when Daniel Amos hit a great high free kick from the right hand side. Frankie Hvid leapt superbly to head home unchallenged for his third goal of the season.
Apart from a great save by Daniel Gyollai from Matthew Shevlin the half belonged to Glentoran. First a great solo effort and shot from Finley Thorndike was parried for a corner by Coleraine keeper Max Little. Then Little saved an on-target effort from Paddy McLean. Danny Amos hit a cross/shot just over and Thorndike had a free kick deflected just wide. But for all the domination the much needed second didn’t come as the teams went into the break.
Half time: Coleraine 0-1 Glentoran
The second half started with Marcus Kane making a great block from a Coleraine attack and Daniel Amos having a good effort well saved. Kane then headed clear a good cross from Coleraine’s Senan Devine.
The Glens were forced into an unwanted and ultimately costly substitution when Marcus Kane sustained what appeared to be a groin strain on 63 minutes. This was a blow as Moko had been outstanding up to that point. This led to a rearrangement of the back four with substitute Kodi Lyons-Foster coming on to play right back with Paddy McClean moving into the centre. At the same time Djair Parfitt replaced the out of touch Dylan Connolly on the right wing.
Seven minutes later James Douglas replaced Finley Thorndike and his immediate contribution was a great high cross into the Coleraine box. None of the Glens attackers were able to reach it. The Glens lead still looked secure but as so often with a one goal lead that proved misleading.
The equaliser came on 72 minutes. Devine did very well to find Matthew Shevlin in the Glens box. Daniel Amos blocked him at first but when the ball came back down Shevlin had both the space and time to react first and his shot gave Dan Gyollai no chance from two yards.
The Glens immediately responded with a good Amos free kick but Kodi Lyons-Foster headed wide. Then came what would prove to be the winner came when Jamie Glackin took a free from the same position of the Glens’ goal. It fell to Dean Jarvis who lobbed it across the goalmouth to Shevlin who rose above two Glens defenders to easily head home.
So a very disappointing way to end an unbeaten run and another day when failure to capitalise on good chances well created unnecessarily cost us all three points. Next week provides the opportunity to bounce back when Larne visit the Bet McLean Oval.
Full Time: Coleraine 2-1 Glentoran
Glentoran: Gyollai, Kane (c) (Lyons-Foster 63), Amos, Hvid, McClean, Sule, Thorndike (Douglas 77), Connolly (Parfitt 63), Fisher and Donnelly (Jenkins 77)
Subs (Not used): Mills, Lindsay, Wassim
Photographs by PACEMAKER