Haveron hails Glens’ effort in weather but says game shouldn’t have gone ahead

GLENTORAN boss Gary Haveron admitted he was puzzled why referee Andrew Davey gave last night’s Danske Bank Premiership clash with Warrenpoint Town the thumbs up at the start.

Even as fans spilled into the Oval, there were clear issues with the playing surface with water lying in different parts of the ground.

Bangor official Davey was happy enough to get it under way, but the weather clearly deteriorated throughout the first 45 minutes.

On the advice of ground and safety officials, he agreed to call a halt as parts of the upper grandstand began to break up.

The announcement was made as the team’s left the pitch after Haveron’s boys had taking a first half pounding against a howling gale force wind and driving rain..

Haveron (above) said: “I’m disgusted that the game was allowed to start. The pitch was in terrible condition.

“How it was allowed to go ahead, I’m not quite sure.

“But our boys battled brilliantly against all the elements for 45 minutes and then we were deprived the opportunity of playing with the gale force wind in our favour.

“I’m convinced it was a game we would have won, if we had that advantage.”

Town boss Matty Tipton had no complaints when the game was stopped.

He said: “It wasn’t a football decision to abandon the game.

“We were happy enough to start, but when it comes down to the safety of the players and the spectators, when bits of the grandstand began to fall off, there is nothing much we can do about it. Elliott Morris is one of the best kickers of a ball in the Irish League and he failed to get it 20 yards up the pitch.

“It was an outside influence, it was out of our hands.

“Gary will think his team are hard done by and he probably has every right to feel like that. We had a big advantage in the first half.”