Larne took a big step towards a first ever League Title and Glentoran’s hopes of automatic qualification for the UEFA Europa League a blow following this one-sided match at Inver Park this evening. The 2-0 scoreline if anything flattered the Glens’ insipid performance.
Rodney McAree made one change from Saturday’s 5-1 defeat of Portadown, with a recovered Conor McMenamin returned to the starting line-up and Niall McGinn on the bench for this one.
The game started as it would continue, with Larne dominating possession and they had the game won in the first twenty minutes. The opener came on fourteen when Tomas Cosgrove’s low right wing cross was passed on by ex-Glens striker Paul O’Neill to recent signing Michael Glynn. Glynn had all the time and space necessary to confidently hit a low left foot shot across the goalmouth and into the corner of the net.
Five minutes later came the second. This time a long ball from the left found Lee Bonis in the Glens’ box. Despite being surrounded and with his back to goal, Bonis comfortably held off the Glentoran defenders to turn, pick his spot and blast cleanly into the top corner.
Halftime: Larne 2-0 Glentoran
Rodney McAree addressed things at half time with the replacement after the break of Jay Donnelly and Danny Purkis by Niall McGinn and Junior.
Still the Glens didn’t threaten though and the second half amounted to little more than a stream of substitutions by both sides with few if any meaningful chances created at either end.
So we remain fourth in the table, five points off second place with four games to go. Next up is away to second placed Linfield followed by the visit of third place Cliftonville to the Bet McLean Oval next Saturday. Absolutely no margin for error left if we are to have credible aspirations to either second place or home draws in the European play offs. Either way, big improvements will be demanded and expected from this team at the National Stadium on Wednesday night.
Fuiitime: Larne 2-0 Glentoran
Photographs by PACEMAKER
Glentoran: McCarey, Marshall (Wightman 75), Singleton, McCullough, Kane (c), Devlin, Burns (Plum 59), McCartan (R. Donnelly 75), McMenamin, Purkis (McGinn 46) & J. Donnelly (Junior 46)
