Gold Cup Final

Tuesday 30th November

Linfield 2 Glentoran 4

Brian Russell one player who Glentoran fans had doubts in, but they certainly won't be complaining with the performance he showed at Windsor Park tonight as the Champions Steamrolled Linfield in the Big Two Gold Cup Final.  The Blustery conditions might have spoiled the match but there was evidence to describe that it wouldn't be the case when the Glens started brightly.  As early as the 2nd minute the Linfield defence were in danger when Colin Nixon crossed a looping ball into the box which Paul Mathers flapped at for a corner. Two minutes later Colin Nixon again crossed form the byline and there was Brian Russell to head home past Mathers which send the North Stand into ruptures, what a start by the Glens.  In the eighth minute Linfield had their first meaningful attack when Beatty played a long through ball down the left hand side and what looked a comfortable clearance Michael Ferguson missed his kick and Marks ran onto the ball passed the ball into Morgan's feet but his feeble shot was well saved by Alan Gough.  In the 15th minute Chris Walker had a run through the Linfield midfield and his 35 yard effort was close to testing Mathers once more, and 2 minutes later Batey had his overhead Kick well saved by the Linfield Keeper.

In the 18th minute Brian Russell scored his second of the game when Tim McCann did well by chesting the ball down for Russell who killed the ball with his hip and finished superbly into the top corner from all of 20 yards, giving Mathers no chance.  In the 20 minute the Glens survived a superb long range effort from a dead ball situation from Stephen Beatty the ball hitting the stanchion on the net which looked in from our position in the ground.  Chris Morgan had his second effort of the night in the 26th minute when he over ran the ball and Gough was quick to pounce to claim it.  The Glens scored their third of the game in the 35th minute when Hamill held the ball up well and his neat layoff was well finished off by the ever impressive Scottie Young.

Half Time Linfield 0 Glentoran 3

There was gaps all round the South Stand and the Kop as the home team fans had, had enough and had decided going home was a better option.

We all expected the Blues to be even more fired up in the second half and their desperation to get a result was evident when Fat Boy Glenn Ferguson came on for his first senior appearance since May. But the Glens started of as they did in the first half, when Rory Hamill picked out Brian Russell in the box looking for the hat-trick and his header came rattling off the post with Mathers beaten once more strong for the keeper and McLaughlin on the line to stop.  We did however score the fourth in 54th minute when a Scott Young corner was powerfully headed home by Allistair McCombe for his 3rd goal of the season and 2nd in the Gold Cup this year.

The remainder of the game was dominated by the Glens who really should have won at least 6, as the Blues defence was all over the place the only ball al night they played was their traditional HOOF, over the top. Alan Gough did make a few impressive saves tonight mostly were comfortable ones but with the conditions and the strong wind anything was possible he was beaten though with 11 minutes to go when the Glens defence lost track of Larmour and he banged in past Gough,and their second goal came in injury time when the Glens failed to clear a corner and Bailie volleyed through the mass of bodies in the box to make the score Linfield 2 Glentoran 4.

Team

Gough 8, Nixon 8, Ferguson 7,Walker 8, McCombe 8, Young 8, McCann 7, Hamill 8, Russell 9, Batey 7, Rainey 7 Subs Leeman 6 for Rainey Unused-Livingstone, Gilzean

Nationwide Man of the Match was Brian Russell who Received a Bottle of Champagne from the Sponsors