Irish Premier League

Saturday 4th December

Glentoran 0 Newry Town 3

Today at the Oval the supporters who turned up witnessed, both the poorest Glentoran performances of the season and the Coldest day in 8 years.  It was also the smallest league crowd of the season, the cold weather keeping alot of people at home today and that would have been the best place to be today.

Glentoran didn't even manage a single shot on target in the first half, the Visitors creating the best chances and they scored in the 26th minute when a deep cross from the right hand touchline was met by Mark Rutherford who's bullet header flew past Gough who was helpless to stop it.  Rutherford was unmarked as he powered his header in.  The Glens then started to come out of their shells more than they had done, but their shooting which was so impressive in midweek against the Blues was sadly lacking today the only notable shots were from David Rainey who blasted well wide and Hamill who's shot troubled the corner flag more than it did the Newry on loan Goalkeeper.

Half Time Glentoran 0 Newry Town 1

Substitution at half time was David Rainey off, and Stuart Elliott On

The inclusion of Elliott at the start of the first half made very little difference to the Glens approach play with him again being played out of Position on the left wing, and indeed that's why Rainey is not performing as these two players are clearly two strikers.  The visitors then scored their second goal and killed off the game as a contest when again the lack of concentration in the defence allowed Ciaran Feehan to strike the ball firmly past Gough into the bottom corner and from then on in the Glens never really looked like scoring.

There was no movement up front and they lacked initiative.  They tried the same move over and over again with the ball being thumped up field from the defence and there was no one there to either control the ball or to do anything with it.  Newry Town scored their third and final goal when the Glens defence only half cleared the ball and Robert Casey hit a bullet shot with his right foot into top corner of the net past the diving Alan Gough who had no chance with the 3 goals today.  Raymond Campbell then could have made it 4 when he dribbled past three Glentoran players and his powerful shot was well touched past the post by Gough.  Infact Rutherford and Campbell were both causing havoc to the Glentoran defence with their pace and dribbling skills. The Glens only had one meaningful shot which came in the dying minutes when Paul Leemans header was brilliantly saved by the goalkeeper onto the post for a corner kick.  Batey was booked for protesting at the Linesman and Jimmy Brown was warned by referee Weatherall, who should have awarded the Glens at least 2 penalties today when Leeman was tripped in the box, there was also a handball when the Newry defender fell on top of the ball, and the Newry keeper was fortunate to stay on when he took out Brian Russell outside the box who got away with a yellow card.

Team

Gough 6, Nixon 7, Ferguson 6, Young 5, McCombe 6, Leeman 7, McCann 6, Hamill 6, Russell 6, Batey 5, Rainey 6  Subs-Gilzean 6, Elliott 6, Livingstone(Not Used)