Saturday 30 March 2019, Kick Off 3pm
On Saturday we have our final match before the Premiership split when we make our second visit of the season to Solitude.
We have lost just one game more and conceded six goals fewer than the Reds but are thirteen points and two league places worse off. It can be fairly said that our two last gasp defeats by the Reds pretty much sum up this season for Glentoran. On the opening day of this season an injury time winner left us with nothing in a game we had led for a large spell through John McGuigan’s first half goal. That set the tone for what was to come. In the return match at Solitude in November, we again went into the final minute level on terms though on that occasion we conceded from a very poor refereeing decision when the referee failed to blow for an obvious foul on Robbie McDaid. This led directly to the only goal of the game and yet another failure to hold on late in the match. Despite the points differential, the two teams go into this one in a similar run of form. The Reds have taken six points from their last four league matches while we’ve taken seven. So it should be an interesting match, particularly after our excellent win at Ballymena.
Gary Smyth said after training on Thursday night: “I couldn’t have been any happier with the Ballymena performance and result. On the morning I wouldn’t have been that unhappy if it had been called off given how many players we had missing. But the senior players really rose to it and that made it easier for younger lads like Nathan, Paul and James to do as well as they did. We were excellent all over the pitch. Gavin Peers really showed his experience and he and Moko let nothing past them. A lot of people have told me that was Nathan’s best game for the Glens and James was equally excellent before his red card. He was devastated by that but at least he got the chance to show us how good he is and how good he’ll be. The midfield controlled the game and got forward well, and up-front Paul got a great goal and Robbie McDaid was absolutely unplayable. But I want to single out Curtis. He gets criticised for his hold-up play but at Ballymena he was brilliant and really helped Paul do so well.
For Saturday obviously James is suspended while Calum Birney is still injured. Conor Pepper is still out but he was at training tonight. He’s so dedicated and so fitness aware that I think he’s probably brought his return forward a couple of weeks so he might be available next week. Darren Murray and Willie Garrett are both available for this one and with James out that might give Jamie Glover his chance to start. Although he came on in midfield against Ards he’s a natural left back with a lot of pace so this might be his chance. Dwayne Nelson is still injured so Paul McLaughlin stays on the bench. Mal Smith and Sean og Gallagher will also be in the squad. We’ve had two very close matches with the Reds this season so we’ll definitely be out to build on the Ballymena performance”.
