NIFL Premiership
Cliftonville 1
Glentoran 2
At Solitude
CLIFTONVILLE’s familiar pattern to the season continued as they fell to back-to-back league defeats for the second time this season with 2-1 defeat to Glentoran at Solitude on Saturday afternoon.
Jack Malone headed the visitors in front within a quarter of an hour, but Cliftonville hit back through a Dean McMaster free-kick before the break.
The Solitude side spurned several chances to hit the front in the second half before substitute Jordan Jenkins made them pay, tapping home after the Reds failed to deal with a set-piece delivery.
Although the Glens were reduced to 10-men in the closing stages when Malone was given a second yellow-card, they left with all three-points.
Cliftonville boss Jim Magilton was critical of his side's defensive display and especially the two goals they conceded.
“I’m not surprised [we have come away with nothing],” Magilton admitted. “We conceded corner after corner after corner and we were begging on those Glentoran lads to score a goal.
“You can’t keep doing what we’re doing. Defensively, the two centre halves I thought were really poor today.
“If you’re not going to win your headers, and not get high enough up the pitch – especially when we are dominant – then you’re not going to win games of football. We didn’t and that was a real reminder."
Magilton was linked with a move across to take the vacant Glentoran job in the build-up to the fixture, but opted to turn down the East Belfast side.
Glentoran earned their 2-1 win at Solitude
He made three changes to XI that were defeated 2-0 to Larne on Tuesday evening. There were returns for Ollie Samuels, Rhyss Campbell and Rory Hale as Luke Conlon and Joel Thompson dropped to the bench and Joe Sheridan missed out all together.
Cliftonville were almost ahead inside of a minute after Ben Quinn’s high lofted free-kick was headed goalwards and Andrew Mills was forced to turn the ball behind for a corner.
It took the Glens 12-minutes to fashion their first opportunity. Daniel Larmour clipped a ball to the backpost to Ben Gallagher but PJ Morrison came out to claim.
Larmour then had a shooting opportunity blocked by Kyle McClelland ahead of Ben Gallagher's shot on the turn drawing a terrific save from Morrison at the expense of a corner.
The pressure told and Glentoran hit the front on the quarter hour mark. Shaun Leppard’s headed clearance fell to Ross Clarke to chip a ball to the backpost where James Malone glanced in to make it 1-0.
Clarke scooped a shot over a few minutes later before Cliftonville sparked into life. Ben Quinn won the ball back high up field and released Liam McStravick whose shot lacked power and was blocked by the foot of Mills.
The Reds restored parity in the 33rd minute. James Malone caught Brian Healy on the edge of the box and set-piece specialist Dean McMaster lifted his free-kick over the wall and beyond Mills to score his third of the campaign.
The hosts may have hit the front before the break after Healy cut back to McStravick, though Mills blocked at his near post.
Things threatened to boil over before the break after McMaster caught Jordan Stewart and was booked, Glens attacker Malone was also shown a yellow card for his reaction in the aftermath but the half-time whistle took the sting out of things as the sides headed in level at the interval.
Glentoran almost regained the lead within a minute of the restart, but Jordan Stewart’s cross evaded Ross Clarke at the backpost.
The hosts enjoyed their most dominant spell in the aftermath, Marcus Kane tried to guide the ball back to goalkeeper Andrew Mills and Brian Healy nipped in and lofted a shot onto the roof of the net.
Rory Hale then played a delightful pass into the path of Ben Quinn, the winger's shot was blocked by Mills and Brian Healy was prevented from throwing himself at the loose ball that went behind for a corner. Quinn’s set-piece was punched clear by Mills and then to safety.
The best opportunity came on 63 minutes with Shaun Leppard meeting Dean McMaster’s corner and his volley crashed off the bar, Alex Bannon sent the loose ball back into the danger zone and Rhyss Campbell glanced over.
Thereafter it was Glentoran who regained the initiative with PJ Morrison somehow blocking Ross Clarke’s attempt at the expense of a corner.
Glentoran forged ahead again in the 83rd minute. Former on-loan Red Joshua Kelly got an initial header to a corner that was partially cleared, Marcus Kane glanced the follow up goal-wards and the ball ricocheted off PJ Morrison on the ground and Jordan Jenkins pounced to turn the ball home to the rapturous delight of the Glens fans behind the goal.
Despite their advantage the East Belfast side would have to see out the final three minutes and injury time a man light after Jack Malone was given his second booking of the contest for felling Rory Hale.
Cliftonville were unable to capitalise on their late numerical advantage however Rhyss Cambell arrowed a shot goalwards that Mills was equal to, and a minute later he floated in a cross towards Leppard that Mills again smothered with ease.
In the end the 10-men held out to claim their third win of the campaign as Cliftonville fell to back to back defeats for the second time this campaign.
CLIFTONVILLE: Morrison, Samuels (Conlon 20’), McClelland, Leppard, Bannon, Hale, McMaster, Quinn (Gormley 71’), Campbell, Healy, McStravick (Hawthorne 63’).
GLENTORAN: Mills, Cooney, Kane, Clarke, Stewart, Sloggett (Kelly 76’), Brown, Gallagher (Jenkins 46’), Larmour, Malone, Douglas.
REFEREE: Evan Boyce
