Irish Premier League

15th January

Crusaders 2 Glentoran 2

Hatchet Men Snatch Point

Today at Seaview the Champions started off shakily with the home side taking the lead after just 5 minutes Elliott gave the ball away and a cross from the right, which was met by Reilly as he rose unmarked to head powerfully past Gough.  The Glens were missing the influential Chris Walker today and in the first ten minutes it really showed, Paul Leeman playing Center-half today found it difficult to win anything in the air with Reilly doing well to lay the ball off on several occasions.

The Glens picked the pace up a little after the goal with a series of attacks yet no matter how they tried the target could not be found, Rory Hamill shot wide with a volley, Tim McCann headed over when it looked easier to score from, Gilzean headed over from a corner, and Elliott shot just past the post.  In the 32nd minute Crusaders nearly scored their second on a counter attack with Reilly again the danger man, Gough dropped a corner Reilly lobbed the ball over his head, Gough quickly picked himself up to parry the ball away and Wade smacked the ball off the outside of the post, a real let off.  The first half was shear hell for Ian Gilzean who looked very sharp today but was set upon by Dunlop who persisted in fouling him, foul after foul went unpunished, not only did he hack away at Gilzean, he also persisted in mouthing, pushing, and constant niggling with the Glentoran front line.  The worst of his fouls was on Ian Gilzean in the 45th minute when Gilzean shielded the ball and Dunlop came flying from behind and booted Gilzean off the ball with a reckless challenge which sent Jimmy Brown and Roy Coyle berserk, with Ian Gilzean nearly striking out at Dunlop, but the all the Referee a fairly amateur looking performance demanded that Brown and Coyle return to the dugout and let the foul go uncarded, a disgusting decision.

Half Time Crusaders 1 Glentoran 0

Glentoran maintaining a constant onslaught looked as if they would get that equalizer when Scott Young's 30 yard pass sent Hamill racing through but his shot was stopped by the keeper and Elliott blasted the ball wildly over the crossbar.  Kieran Donaghy was booked when he brought down Young on the edge on the edge of the box, from the free kick the Scotsman fired wide.  Then at last the Glens got their deserved equaliser.  A forward ball into the penalty box was blatantly handled by Dunlop as usual trying to cheat the Referee was this time punished with a Yellow Card and the Ref pointed to the Spot.  Scott Young stepped up and placed the ball past O'Hare...GOAL!!!! 1-1

The Champions then took the lead with a brilliantly worked goal, Leeman's long ball forward went to Hamill who darted forward and slipped the ball inside Dunlop and Murray leaving Elliott clean through on O'Hare and he neatly tucked the ball over the keeper into the net...GOAL!!!! 1-2

Ian Gilzean Glentoran's man of the match today was later substituted for Rainey, Gilzean had an injured ankle from Dunlop fouling him all day.

Yet in the 80th minute the Glens only had themselves to blame when Nixon under no pressure hesitated and his pass back header attempt fell short and Reilly picked the bal up and rounded Gough and slotted the ball in the empty net.  At the final whistle Pete Batey was in a scuffle with the Crusaders players a 8 man ruck at the end of the game was broken well up by the Referee, the Glentoran crowd singing "There's Only One Pete Batey", as he made his feelings clear to the Referee and Glenn Dunlop.

Team

Man of the Match Ian Gilzean(9)

Glentoran - Gough 6, Nixon 6, Kennedy 6, Leeman 7, McCombe 7, Young 7, McCann 8, Hamill 8, Gilzean 9, Batey 6, Elliott 8 Subs Rainey 6, Unused Halliday, Ferguson

Referee Gary Anderson 4