Chris Johns (GK), Trai Hume, Michael Newberry, Jimmy Callacher, Matthew Clarke, Jamie Mulgrew (C) (Cameron Palmer 51'), Chris Shields, Stephen Fallon (Martin Donnelly 84'), Kirk Millar (Ahmed Salam 84'), Jordan Stewart (Andrew Clarke 84') Matt Green (Billy Chadwick 72')
Ross Glendinning (GK), Rhys Marshall, Caolan Marron, Luke McCullough, Patrick McClean (Bobby Burns 73'), Hrvoje Plum (Seanan Clucas 79'), Gael Bigirimana, Shay McCartan (Rory Donnelly 79'), Conor McMenamin (Ben Cushnie 67'), Jay Donnelly, Robbie McDaid
Linfield recorded an emphatic victory over Glentoran at the Oval on derby day as David Healy’s men won their battles over the park and took their chances when they came along in east Belfast.
The Blues started positively and threatened twice from a similar pattern of play in the early stages. Matthew Clarke bombed forward to make an overload and when Stephen Fallon slipped it to him on the left, his low cross was crucially cut out by a good piece of defending by Caolan Marron. In a similar move moments later, Jordan Stewart fed Clarke’s overlapping run and this time his driven cross-come-shot was beaten away by Ross Glendinning.
Glentoran also threatened a few times and each time involved Shay McCartan dropping into a pocket of space. The Irish League’s all-time record transfer signing turned a threaded a neat pass through to Jay Donnelly who ran in behind off the shoulder, before firing his low strike wide of the far post.
The next time McCartan dropped into that pocket of space, he fed it left to Robbie McDaid who cut inside and connected well but his 20 yard drive was a few feet over the crossbar. The next time, McCartan went alone with a 20 yard drive which had to be pushed over the bar by Chris Johns and from the resultant corner the ball fell kindly for Jay Donnelly whose goalbound strike was brilliantly blocked by Trai Hume who stuck his head in the way.
Then the breakthrough came on 19 minutes, as Matt Green netted his third goal for the club. The body positioning and knowhow shown to roll Caolan Marron just outside the Glentoran box was that of a striker who was experienced at a good level of football over many years. Once Green got turned, he had Jordan Stewart free to his left but the striker put his foot through the ball on the edge of the box and his low strike rippled under Ross Glendinning into the net.
In the aftermath of the goal, Linfield captain Jamie Mulgrew had to be withdrawn with a knock. Incidentally, it was Mulgrew who claimed the assist for Green’s goal as he intercepted a clearance, chesting the ball into the striker who turned away to score. The knock was sustained prior to that.
In Glentoran’s quest for an instant response, Shay McCartan was bursting into the box only to be stopped by a great sliding challenge by Trai Hume. Moments later, Jay Donnelly was picked out by a quick throw-in but his low shot across goal was tipped around the post by Chris Johns. The Glens should have levelled from the resultant corner as Hrvoje Plum’s cross-come-shot was pushed out by Johns and Gael Bigirimana fired the rebound over from ten yards.
The Blues then doubled their lead on 33 minutes. Trai Hume – who rises well in the box and has been knocking on the door for a goal for a while now – got off the mark with a first senior Linfield goal. The Linfield Academy graduate met Kirk Millar’s corner delivery at the back post to head past Ross Glendinning to make it 2-0.
The Glens almost pulled one back before the break when Patrick McClean’s fierce strike whistled just wide of the post but the Blues were pretty comfortable and winning all their battles, and that’s how it continued into the second half.
Half Time: Glentoran 0 – 2 Linfield
Glentoran had a decent chance to reduce the arrears minutes into the second half when a right wing cross by Hrvoje Plum found the head of Robbie McDaid who glanced his header just wide of the far post.
The Blues then effectively put the game to bed on 51 minutes. Matt Green’s hold-up play was again a factor as he popped it off to Stephen Fallon whose strength, vision and timing was brilliant to hold it before slipping a ball in behind for the surging run of Cameron Palmer. Glens goalkeeper Ross Glendinning was forced to come for a 50/50 but the ball came off Palmer and trickled over the line as the midfielder marked his first ‘Big Two’ derby appearance with a goal.
The Blues continued to battle and kept a tight ship whilst also remaining a threat. Trai Hume met another Kirk Millar delivery, this time a free-kick from the right but he headed over.
The excellent Stephen Fallon, who drifted into pockets of space all evening, whipped a cross in from the left in search of Matt Green who couldn’t quite reach it and with Ross Glendinning rooted to the spot the ball flashed just wide of the far post.
Glens full-back Rhys Marshall found two good opportunities in quick succession. Firstly, he dribbled into the box and when he got a low shot away it was Jordan Stewart of all people who got back on the goal line to make a crucial block which typified the workrate of the team. Moments later, a Glentoran corner fell kindly for Marshall whose shot was cleared off the line by Kirk Millar.
A stooping Robbie McDaid header was smartly saved by Chris Johns down low to his left as Linfield comfortably managed their way to a deserved victory at the Oval, which was their first win there in four visits.
Linfield man of the match - Chris Shields
Full Time: Glentoran 0 – 3 Linfield
Match Images
