Tomorrow sees the first 'Big Two' fixture of the season and Glentoran manager, Eddie Patterson, will be hoping that his team maintain their unbeaten start to the season. Our cross town rivals haven't had the best of starts as they try to wrestle back the Gibson Cup from Cliftonville but, as has been proven many times, form goes out the window in these fixtures.
Glentoran should have almost a full squad available for selection. Jay Magee returned from injury on Monday night and played the last quarter of an hour against Ballyclare Comrades. Richard Clarke and Mark Miskimmin both played their first domestic games of the season in the League Cup tie with Miskimmin getting his first goal for the Glens from the penalty spot.
At the same stage last season the two teams played out a 1-all draw at the Oval with Andrew Waterworth giving the Glens the lead before Billy-Joe Burns equalised for the Blues. In the Boxing Day fixture, played at Windsor Park, Stephen McAlorum was sent off after just 5 minutes. 10-man Glentoran were in front at the break though courtesy of a Jay Magee header. Despite a heroic performance the Glentoran defence was finally breached in the final 15 minutes as Linfield snatched two late goals to take the points.
In the second half of the season it was a similar story with the two sides playing out a 1-1 draw at the Oval in mid-February and Linfield recording a 1-nil victory at Windsor Park 4 days before Glentoran's Irish Cup semi-final against Portadown. This weekend it will probably be another tight affair but hopefully the Glentoran support will return home in a similar mood to their last visit to Windsor Park; 4th May 2013.