Reds into third after welcome win at Oval

Cliftonville recorded their first league win in almost five years at The Oval to move into third spot in the Danske Bank Premiership.
By The Newsroom
Published 1st Mar 2016, 23:32 BST
Updated 1st Mar 2016, 23:39 BST
Glentorans Chris Lavery shields the ball from Stephen GarrettGlentorans Chris Lavery shields the ball from Stephen Garrett
Glentorans Chris Lavery shields the ball from Stephen Garrett

Goals from Jay Donnelly and Stephen Garrett helped the Reds to a spirited 2-0 victory over Glentoran on Tuesday night.

Donnelly struck the opener in the sixth minute while Garrett added a clinical second for the visitors in the 57th minute.

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Cliftonville’s last success in east Belfast was in September 2011 when Ryan Catney scored a late winner in a 1-0 triumph.

Since then the Reds had gone seven games without a league victory at the Oval – until last night.

The win sees Cliftonville leapfrog Glenavon into third spot in the table, 10 points behind leaders Crusaders.

“I wanted a response after Saturday’s defeat to Coleraine, and I got it,” boss Gerard Lyttle said.

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“The attitude from the players was superb, and it was good to bounce back before Saturday’s Irish Cup quarter-final with Linfield.”

It took Lyttle’s side just six minutes to break the deadlock, Donnelly racing onto George McMullan’s sublime through ball before slotting past Elliott Morris for his 15th goal of the season.

The Glens almost restored parity in the eighth minute but Conor Devlin expertly tipped away Curtis Allen’s delicate chip.

Allen flashed a header just wide of the post in the 12th minute from Chris Lavery’s cross.

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Devlin was called into action again in the 19th minute, getting the faintest of touches on Barry Holland’s dipping shot to divert the ball onto the woodwork before Jamie McGovern cleared the danger.

Garrett made it 2-0 in the 57th minute, racing onto Daniel Hughes’ incisive pass before clipping his shot over the advancing Morris.

The Glens tried to respond, but Smith’s rasping shot was blocked by Johnny Flynn in the 80th minute.

Levi Ives did well to head a late Glentoran effort off his own line in the 90th minute.

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GLENTORAN: Morris, Holland, Kane, Magee (Gibson 46), Birney, Rice, Addis, Lavery, Allen (Patton 60), Smith, Caldwell (Scullion 76).

Subs not used: McCormick,, Morrow.

CLIFTONVILLE: Devlin, McGovern, Ives, Bonner, Flynn, McMullan (Knowles 82), McDaid, Garrett, Catney, J. Donnelly (Curran 72), Hughes (Winchester 88).

Subs not used: M. Donnelly, Murray.

Referee: Mervyn Smyth (Belfast)

Related topics:Glentoran