Saturday 8th December 2019, Kick off 3.00pm.
On Saturday we make our first Irish League visit to the Brandywell to play Institute. Our last league visit there was a 2-2 draw with Derry City on 12th February 1972 with the Glens goals coming from Paul Kirk and Tommy Morrow. Our last match there was in April 2007 when Paul Millar’s team had a 2-1 Setanta Cup win with goals from BJ McMenamin and Willo McDonagh. However the last Glentoran player to score at the Brandywell was Billy Caskey for the Glentoran Legends, keeping up Billy’s record of scoring at every senior Northern Ireland stadium he’s played at!
Institute are currently one place and two points behind us with eighteen points. We meet with both teams on a similar run of results with ‘stute taking just one point from their last five matches. However from all accounts they played well in their past two games and were very unlucky to lose a late winner to Crusaders and a late equaliser to Glenavon. So we will definitely need to up our own game to get the three points. On the positive side we won our home meeting in September 2-1 through goals from Ross Redman and Willie Garrett. Our last league visit to Institute was four years ago when a Curtis Allen goal contributed to a 1-1 draw.
Ronnie McFall: “Against Crusaders last week I thought in the first half we were very much the better team, played some outstanding football and created a number of good chances. Once the teams were down to 10 and 9 players respectively both teams lost a bit of shape and became a bit ragged. The second half overall was a poor enough spectacle but overall I thought we deserved to win and I think the performance overall against a very good team should have boosted the players’ confidence.
For Saturday Conor Pepper is still suspended and obviously we’ve lost John McGuigan after his sending off. But Curtis Allen and Nathan Kerr are available again which is a boost in a couple of important positions. At this point there are no injury or availability doubts over anyone else.”
Travel Advice to Brandywell Stadium:
Travelling Glentoran fans should make their way to stadium via the lower deck of the Craigavon Bridge then turn left on the Foyle Road. Keep going for just under a mile until you come to a roundabout. At the roundabout, take the 2nd exit onto Lone Moor Road. The stadium is around 50 yards alone the Lone Moor road. There is no need for police to escort fans into the ground. Institute officials will be monitoring the route in. However the police may stop buses on route to check for alcohol and visible flags on bus windows. Institute recommend that travelling supporters use the main car park at the stadium. The car park is stewarded and holds around 200 cars so there will be plenty of space. Bus parking will be clearly identified.
