Saturday 27th November

Portadown 1 Glentoran 0

Glens Blow it Away!

Today as a wind swept Shamrock Park the Glens started as clear favorites.  Infact the both teams desperately needed the 3 points in totally different circumstances, Portadown needed them to climb the table and the Glens needed them in order to keep in within reaching distance from their cross town rivals Linfield.

It all started so messily with neither side really getting the ball on the deck inside the first ten minutes.  The home team looked the brighter of the two creating a few decent chances but their poor finishing meant that the score was stayed level in the first half.  The Glens were playing into the strong gale and Portadown should have taken advantage of this.  The first opportunity of the game fell to No 11 but his poor shot was straight at Alan Gough.  Alan Gough had to be on his toes again minutes later when a through ball by Tony Sheridan was neatly cut out by Gough rushing off his line to clear, and he was again called upon to clear once more one minute later.  On 13 minutes a clumsy challenge by Michael Ferguson on No 7 led to a free kick in a dangerous situation but Tony Sheridan wasted his chance by curling the ball wide of Gough's far post. Two minutes later Sheridan again wasted a good chance for the Ports when he rushed his shot which was pulled well wide of Gough.  The Glens then had their first real purposeful attack when David Rainey left No 2 standing when he showed him his touch of class and after beating him easily, he ruined the chance and his cross from the left hand side was too powerful and the ball went out of play.

Portadown winger Adrian Larkin was challenged by Rory Hamill and quite amusingly dived into mid air a book able offence surely but the referee was Herbie Barr so it was understandable when he is refereeing not to do the sensible thing.  On 25 minutes the much needed Floodlights came on to lighten up the pitch which was starting to get rather dark, but it didn't lighten up the Glens who were very fortunate to get away again Dywer Hill pulled his powerful drive wide of the post.  Colin Nixon then decided to get in the act after 28 minutes when he went on a fantastic run dribbling past 4 Portadown defenders but he ruined it with his poor left foot effort which was well judged by Keenan in goals, and one minute later the Glens again had a chance to score with a beautiful through ball by McCann was wasted by Hamill who was clean through but he decided to lob the ball over Keenan which also unfortunately cleared the Portadown bar as well. On 33 minutes Arkins was causing problems inside the Glens box when he out powered McCann in body strength to lay the ball off but the ball was intercepted by Glentoran and from the break Rainey's cross was headed wide by the on coming Scott Young, the best move of the game so far.

After 35 minutes Brian Russell had his first chance of the game when Rory Hamill delivered a superb pin-point cross but Russell's poor header was easily saved by Keenan.  Russell again was in the action when he played the ball past Brian Strain who fouled Russell and was uncarded for the challenge which again was a plain yellow card offence.  Scott Young took the set piece quickly but skipper Batey headed wide at the back post. Brian Russell then was harshly booked by Barr when he tangled with Strain, and on the half time whistle Richard Clark was booked for a rough tackle on Scott Young.

Half Time Portadown 0 Glentoran 0

Half Time Sub Hugh Dickson for the Injured Pete Batey

On 50 minutes Alan Gough made a fantastic double save from Adrian Larkin when the winger was through on goal Gough stood up bravely and saved with his fists and from the rebound he was quickly alert to the shot and the ball was hooked to safety.  On 55 minutes Portadown opened the scoring a strong run down the right wing by Raymond Byrne who left Dickson for dead, he layed the ball off to Arkins and his powerful side footed shot flew past Gough into the top corner of the net, the Glens had failed to pick up Arkins and had payed the consequences.  On 59 minutes Richard Clarke can think himself very lucky not to be handed a second yellow card when he clattered into Scott Young, but Barr didn't even warn him and when Young recovered play resumed.  Three minutes later however there were another two players booked, Phillip Major and Rory Hamill were the culprits for a slight argument between the two.  After 65 minutes the Glens used their two remaining subs who today were Ian Gilzean who replaced David Rainey and Tim McCann was replaced by Stuart Elliott.  The Glens were clearly going for goals with the number of attacking players present on the pitch.  Straight away Elliott fired a deep cross in from the left and Gilzean brilliantly headed the ball down the only thing was that no one was there to touch it in.  The Portadown right back McKeown was then booked for a clear body check on Stuart Elliott and from the free kick Nixon's shot was blocked and went for a throw in, Nixon's deep cross was meant for Hugh Dickson who just managed to get a touch with his head but the ball went wide.

The Glens defence again was easily beaten and again it was by pace, Larkin legged past Ferguson and delivered a cross into the box luckily McCombe headed behind for a corner, and from that corner the defence failed to clear and Gough superbly twice in a matter of seconds.  After 71 minutes the Ports had the best chance to wrap the game up when Chris Walker's back pass was too short and Tony Sheridan ran onto the mistake and tried to take the ball around Gough, but Gough saved well and the defence recovered to clear to safety.  75 minutes Elliott shot well wide and on 80 minutes Sheridan's shot was straight at Alan Gough, the wind started to pick up with the rain starting and with Gough kicking well today the wind caught the ball and ran straight to Keenan at the other end, with 8 minutes left Larkin beat Ferguson again for pace and again Sheridan shot wide, he is clearly lacking in confidence with his quality of shooting today. 

The Glens never really deserved anything from today's game they lacked the goal scoring touch again, the defence was wide open all day and every time Portadown broke away you got the feeling that the Glentoran defence would crumble.  The players just give up when the ball was still there to be won a disappointing day overall.

Team

Gough 8, Nixon 8, Ferguson 5, Walker 5, McCombe 6, Young, 7, McCann 6, Hamill 7, Russell, 7, Batey 6, Rainey 7 Subs Dickson 5, Gilzean 6, Elliott 6

Referee Herbie Barr 5

Glentoran Star Man Alan Gough