Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
GARY’S HAVERON A BALL AT GLENS
GARY HAVERON’S Glentoran roared into third place in the Premiership table and the manager promised his boys can get even better!
Second-half goals from Curtis Allen and Robbie McDaid against Warrenpoint Town at the Oval yesterday earned the East Belfast another three valuable points – they are now breathing down the necks of the top two.
But they were let off the hook on occasions. Town striker Darren Murray wasted a hatful of chances. His frustration caught up with him as he was dismissed two minutes from time after picking up two quick-fire yellow cards.
But at that stage, his team were down and out.
“It’s pleasing, but it’s still very early doors,” said Haveron (inset), on his team’s unbeaten start to the new season.
“We are in the next round of the League Cup and unbeaten in the league, so there are a few smiling faces about the place. We are learning and we are still improving. I know I keep saying it, but we are a very, very young side. We certainly were not at our best against Warrenpoint. We took the game away from them in a 10 minute spell because we have two quality strikers up top.
“We have a lot of energy in the side. We want to play the right way because I know how important it is for the fans.
“Warrenpoint gambled massively when they went two down. They put three up front. So we had the manage the game -- and we did that well.”
Glentoran were right out of luck early on when Nathan Kerr’s thundering drive crashed back off a post with goalkeeper Jonny Parr rooted to the spot.
But the visitors were not to be intimidated and moments later defender Dale McCreery tried his luck with a dipping 30 yard drive which flashed just over the top.
After soaking up all the pressure, Town should have been in front after 31 minutes. Darren Murray picked up the pieces following a slip by James Ferrin and, after tricking his way into the box, his shot was brilliantly saved by Morris. The rebound fell invitingly for Conor McMenamin, whose effort was deflected over the crossbar by the outstretched boot of Knowles.
But the home fans had to wait merely 60 seconds after the interval when Allen fired home a sublime free kick from 20 yards. Then new signing McDaid put icing on a good day’s work when he muscled his way into the box before toe-poking a low shot into the bottom corner.