Crusaders keep pace with win over Glentoran

This is a game that will not live long on the memory. Owens struck early on and that was as good as it got.

It means big-spending Glentoran are still looking to make an impact on the League campaign – the only victories they’ve managed this season have come against the bottom three clubs.

Even with new boy Conor McMenamin in the side for his debut – he was a last minute capture in the transfer window – the east Belfast side flattered to deceive.

Chris Gallagher and Ruaidhri Donnelly were also handed a starting shirt as Mick McDermott made three changes to the side that drew with Larne last Friday.

Goalkeeper Jonny Tuffey, who moved from Glenavon to the Crues in midweek, was installed between the posts but centre back Daniel Larmour, also snapped up from the Mourneview Park club, had to settle for a place on the substitutes’ bench.

Ben Kennedy and Owens were the other changes to the side that fell to a last minute goal at the Coleraine Showgrounds.

Glentroran haven’t won in the League at the Shore Road venue since August 2011.

Owens had the Crues in front after only six minutes. Paul Heatley’s low drive almost surprised Glentoran goalkeeper Dayle Coleing, who got down low to his left to paw clear.

When the diminutive Heatley whipped in the corner kick from the left, Owens was left with time and and space to bullet home a header.

Glentoran responded in a massive manner. Robbie McDaid and McMenamin produced an eye-catching interchange which resulted in Ruaidhri Donnelly curing a shot over the crossbar form the edge of the box.

But the Crues were only inches away from grabbing a second goal. Declan Caddell was hauled down by a late challenge from Glens’ skipper Marcus Kane and, when Ben Kennedy fired in a 30-yard free kick, it had goal written all over it, but the ball fizzed just past the post.

The visitors took a grip on the game as the half progressed.

McDaid and Rhys Marshall sliced through the Crues defence on 32 minutes, before the striker’s low goal-bound drive was brilliantly blocked by defender Chris Hegarty.

Man of the moment McMenamin then burst forward on the left and tried his luck with a low drive from distance that Jonny Tuffey was relieved to see flash wide.

Seconds later Kane joined his front men to pick out Donnelly, who scooped the ball over the top, much to the relief of former Glenavon man Tuffey.

The tempo dropped dramatically in the energy sapping conditions after the restart.

Crusaders lost goal scorer Owens early on. The big striker hobbled off to be replaced by the lanky Adam Lecky, but chances at either end were few and far between.

Even though the Glens bossed the game, they still failed to get a shot on target to test Tuffey.

Glens’ boss McDermott finally lost patience and introduced Hrvoje Plum just after the hour.

And, the Croatian midfielder attempted to inject a bit of life into his side with a trademark 30-yard drive that almost finished on the nearby Shore Road – and that was on 71 minutes!

Plum then blasted a free kick into the gloves of Tuffey before the midfielder was presented with possibly his team’s best chance with another set-piece from the edge of the box, but this time it flashed wide.

CRUSADERS: Tuffey, Burns, Hegarty, Wilson, Lowry, Kennedy (Larmour 90), Caddell, Forsythe, O’Rourke, Owens (Lecky 52), Heatley (McGonigle 75).

Unused subs: Shields, Weir, Cushley, Ruddy.

GLENTORAN: Coleing, Kane, McCullough, Gallagher, Donnelly (Stewart 79), McDaid, McClean, Crowe (Plum 62), McMenamin, Marron, Marshall (O’Connor 80).

Unused subs: Bigirimana, McDonagh, Clucas, Brown.