A goal in each half, one from Jay Donnelly and a first for Danny Amos saw Glentoran get back to winning ways against Loughgall at the Bet McLean Oval this evening.
Kodi Lyons-Foster came in in place of the suspended Marcus Kane and Jay Donnelly replaced James Douglas in a restructured 4-4-2 formation. The new look paid immediate dividends as the Glens took the lead after just five minutes. David Fisher capitalised on some slack Loughgall defending to gain possession in the box, bided his time as he was forced wide and picked out Donnelly who had an easy finish from five yards.
Despite going behind the visitors seemed content to put bodies behind the ball and rely on hitting the Glens on the break. From one of their rare forays forward it was the Glens who counterattacked, Amos finding Donnelly on the left, he sent Jordan Jenkins away and his left footed effort was pushed onto the crossbar by Nathan Gartside in the Loughgall goal.
A Fisher turn and shot from the edge of the box after being picked out by Jenkins was deflected over for a corner and Donnelly brought the best out of Gartside when put through by an inch perfect Fuad Sule pass, but despite dominating play we went into the break just a goal to the good.
Half time Glentoran 1 – 0 Loughgall
The visitors showed a lot more ambition after the break but some solid defending from Frankie Hvid and Paddy McClean kept Dan Gyollai largely untroubled. The Glens then got their insurance goal after 53 minutes. After a thumping McClean volley from a corner had been well blocked, Lyons-Foster returned the ball into the mix to find Donnelly. He set up Amos just outside the box for a shot which seemed tame enough, but Gartside seemed to be caught flat-footed and the ball crept into the corner.
The Glens saw out the remainder of the half with relative ease, Fisher having a shot from eighteen yards punched clear and Gyollai making his first save of note after 78 minutes, getting down to his left to push away a Caolan McAleer drive.
A comfortable if unspectacular win, but three points, a clean sheet and something to build upon as we travel to champions Larne on Friday evening.
PHOTOGRAPHS BY THOMAS SEWELL
Glentoran: Gyollai, Lyons-Foster (Douglas 61 mins), Hvid, McClean, Amos, Connolly (Thorndike 81), Fuad Sule (C), Singleton, Jenkins (Russell 87), Donnelly (Lindsay 87) and Fisher
Subs (Not used): Mills, Farley, Murphy