Tuesday 1st January 2019, Kick Off 3pm
We start 2019 with a home match against Dungannon Swifts with the aim of making the New Year a much more memorable enjoyable one than 2018.
Swifts are tenth in the league, two places and four points behind us in the table. Honours are even this season with a win each – we won 2-1 at the Oval in August with goals from Curtis Allen and Calum Birney while at the end of November we lost 1-0 at Stangmore Park in what was at that point our worst performance of the season. So on every conceivable level a good win is essential on Tuesday both to safeguard our current league position, allow us to make an effort to start climbing the table, and to end the shameful ten game winless run dating back to Hallowe’en.
While no one would disagree that our performance against Crusaders on Saturday was a clear improvement on Boxing Day, the Glens support can feel justifiably aggrieved at yet another needless penalty causing yet another last gasp defeat. This was the sixth time this season we’ve dropped points to goals in the closing stages and the eighth red card. It’s now reached the point where supporters speculate from half time on which of our players will receive an unnecessary red card when they should be pulling the team out of trouble. This is past the point of bad luck or coincidence. Inability to see out matches or keep eleven players on the pitch is now so predictable that other teams expect it and are rarely disappointed. Supporters did not expect a title challenge this season but they will not accept excuses with so many players – who are now at the stage where we should view them as experienced – consistently letting themselves and the club down either through needless mistakes or unnecessary red cards. It also doesn’t help the manager that so many key players have missed so many important matches this season.
Ronnie McFall: “We showed a good improvement against Crusaders yesterday. We certainly showed a lot more energy and drive than we did against Linfield. Crusaders are a top side with a very strong bench on Saturday and I felt we matched them in every department and deserved at least a point from the match. We were unlucky to hit the post in the first half and I can't remember Elliott Morris having a shot to save.
I didn't think it was a penalty as Jordan Owens was holding on to Ross Redman and for the sending off I thought Marcus blocked the ball. It was the reaction of their players that got him sent off. But that doesn’t alter the fact that it was another late winner conceded and another late red card that deprives us of an important player, this time our captain. Our discipline record is absolutely shocking this season, and it’s costing us far too many absences of key players in important matches. If someone mistimes a tackle and the pick up a red card, you can accept that. But some of sending’s off we’ve had this season have been scandalous. We’ve boys sitting in the stand for stupid things. This time its Marcus and Robbie McDaid, who’s been outstanding for us. These two will miss Tuesday and the cup match against Crusaders on Saturday. Thankfully we have Joe Crowe available this time and Darren Murray – who scored twice for the under 20s today – will be available for the Crusaders match.
Every game is a huge test for us at the minute and we haven’t been rising to it. We need to get three points on board, and I expect this to happen against Dungannon at home. I’m confident that once we get a couple of wins the players’ confidence will be lifted and most of them have the ability to put together a good run between now and the end o the season.”
The Board of Directors at Glentoran Football Club would again request that all supporters travelling to the Oval by private car consider the local residents when deciding where and how to park. Local parking is freely available at the Arches Health Centre.
