Glentoran bounce back from early Crusaders blow to clock up first league win

The East Belfast boys produced a scintillating display against high-flying Crusaders at the BetMcLean Oval to pick up their first victory of the Danske Bank Premiership campaign off a 3-1 tally.

It was Stephen Baxter’s boys who got off to the best possible start with Ross Clarke firing them into an early lead.

But, after that, it was the Glens who took the game by the scruff of the neck.

Ruaidhri Donnelly required only three minutes to level, but McDermott’s team bared their teeth with a ruthless display in the second half.

Conor McMenamin shot them into the lead from the penalty spot, before former Crusaders player Aidan Wilson sealed the deal late on.

It was relentless stuff by the Glens that bodes well for the weeks to come.

Clarke required merely five minutes to forge his team ahead.

He began and finished a wonderful move, sending Jude Winchester free on the right and, when he cut the ball back, Clarke was there to rifle into the bottom corner.

But the celebrations lasted merely three minutes.

Jay Donnelly and Sean Murray managed to slice their way through the Crues defence and, when the former Watford man slid the ball to Donnelly, he surprised everyone by flicking home with his heel.

The Crues, neat and tidy on the ball, should have been in front again on 18 minutes.

Billy Joe Burns burst forward before finding Paul Heatley, who hurriedly blasted the ball over the crossbar.

Glentoran fans were then on their feet appealing for a penalty kick when McMenamin appeared to buckle under a challenge from Chris Hegarty - but referee Raymond Crangle wasn’t interested.

Substitute Dean Ebbe – who replaced the injured Ben Kennedy on 15 minutes - missed a glorious chance of shooting the Crues into the lead on 28 minutes.

Again, Clarke was the provider and, when faced only by Aaron McCarey, the ex-TNS man could only flick the ball over the crossbar.

And they threatened again just five minutes before the break when Jordan Forsythe got up above everyone to meet a Clarke corner, but could only flick wide.

The Glens took charge after the restart and they were ahead on 53 minutes.

Substitute Ally Roy, who replaced the ineffective Jay Donnelly at half-time, showed great pace on the left before drilling in a low cross that was handled by Philip Lowry.

This time Crangle had no hesitation in awarding a penalty and confident McMenamin stepped up to send Jonny Tuffey the wrong way from the spot.

And McMenamin then almost hit a ‘Goal of the Season’ contender after cutting past Forsythe, only to curl his shot against the post.

Wilson sealed the deal 12 minutes from time.

Substitute Conor McCartan produced a delicious free-kick – after Jarlath O’Rourke had clattered into McMenamin – and the former Rangers player bulleted home an unstoppable header.

GLENTORAN: McCarey, Kane, Wilson, Burns, Marshall, J.Donnelly (Roy, 46), R.Donnelly, Singleton, Murray (McCartan, 75), Crowe (McClean, 57), McMenamin (Purkis, 86).

Subs (not used): Webber, Plum, Wightman.

CRUSADERS: Tuffey, Burns, Hegarty (Weir, 81), Lowry, Kennedy (Ebbe, 15), Forsythe, O’Rourke, Winchester (McMurray, 68), Larmour, Heatley, Clarke (Robinson, 81).

Subs (not used): Murphy, Lecky, McKeown.