Linfield v Glentoran
Saturday 17th March 2018, 3pm.
This Saturday we make a St Patrick’s Day trip across the city to face Linfield in our third “Big Two” game of the season.
Since our 2-1 Boxing Day victory the relative form of the two teams has been fairly similar. We have won 6 and drawn 2 of our subsequent 13 matches while Linfield have won 7 and drawn 3. Both teams will need to bounce back from midweek 1-0 Irish Cup defeats that ended their chances of a trophy for the season. However there is a lot more than pride at stake as we pull out all the stops to secure a top six finish while the Blues, six points behind Glenavon, will still have a third place finish to aim for.
Since Boxing Day David Healy has made three additions to his squad. Strikers Kurtis Byrne (St Patrick’s Athletic) and Achille Campion (Cork City loan) and NI Under 21 defender Joe Crowe (Norwich City) all joined the club in January.
We will have at least three enforced changes from our starting lineup on Boxing Day with James Knowles still recovering from his knee injury, Kym Nelson suffering a groin strain and Jonathan Smith now on loan to Carrick Rangers.
Ronnie McFall said on Thursday night: ”I was very disappointed for the players on Tuesday. They gave absolutely everything and in the second half we created so many chances it's no wonder the Coleraine keeper was man of the match. I couldn’t have asked any more from them and I’ve no doubt that if we’d put away one of the chances we created we’d have gone on and got the second and won it.
The boys have done everything I’ve asked of them since I came in and there’s a real improvement in a lot of aspects of our play. We’ve made sure the team has had a set shape and that everyone has had a set position they’ve stuck to. That’s really helping and was very evident at Coleraine.
On Saturday we have Willie Garrett available after his suspension and Peter McMahon also available after missing Tuesday because of his work. Apart from James Knowles and Kym Nelson the only real question mark is over Ross Redman who nearly missed Tuesday night with a chest infection. We’ll give him every chance before making the call on that one.”
