Two weeks ago Glentoran went into a home game at the top of the Sports Direct Premiership. Tonight we sit in fifth place, eleven points behind the leaders after taking just one point in the last twelve. Frankly no other outcome looked likely from about fifteen minutes into the game.
Warren Feeney had to reshuffle again due to the unexpected absence of Jay Donnelly. Junior returned at centre forward and with Bobby Burns moved to left back we started with an unfamiliar midfield of Sule, Palmer and Kelly.
The first 20 minutes or so was a busy but uneventful affair. For the Glens James Singleton headed over from a Shay McCartan corner and McCartan hitting a free kick well over the bar from a promising position. For Linfield both Joel Cooper and Matthew Clarke shot wide from a similar position. But neither keeper was troubled. However Junior was completely isolated up front from the start with no support coming from either the midfield or from his fellow forwards.
The Blues took the lead on 36 minutes and a shambolic affair it was. Chris Shields hit a deep, long, high ball from well outside the box. Aaron McCarey punched it out but Shields was given all the space he needed to run through the Glens area and hit a shot that deflected off Bobby Burns into the net.
From that minute it was over as a contest and eight minutes later that was confirmed when after a soft and needless foul on Chris McKee and a very theatrical collapse by the home striker, Shields then stepped up to confidently convert the penalty.
Half Time : Linfield 2-0 Glentoran
The Glens showed a bit more urgency in the first few minutes of the second half but all we had to show was two good crosses from Daire O’Connor. The first fell to McCartan in a decent position but the number seven fluffed the opportunity to make anything of it. Then his cross was collected by keeper Chris Johns who beat Junior to it.
To all intents the only incidents of note in the rest of the second half were a terrible challenge by Shields on sub David Fisher who had to leave the field after only five minutes. That one went unpunished. The other was a clip on Kyle McLean by James Singleton. That one earned a yellow card. But neither side really threatened the other as Linfield were clearly playing the game out and Glentoran’s soulless performance made it easy for them for the third consecutive league second half.
Injuries or not, this one was another bitter pill for the large Glens’ support to swallow. This four game collapse was far too familiar and leaves the squad with a mountain to climb in the Premiership.
Final Score : Linfield 2-0 Glentoran
Photographs by PACEMAKER
Glentoran: McCarey, Singleton (c), Burns, Wilson, McClean, Sule, Kelly (Fisher 69) (Feeney 82), Palmer, McCartan (McGinn 79), O’Connor, Junior,
Subs (Not used): Webber, Kane, Murphy, Locke.
