Fresh faces at Glentoran show real heart

Glentoran 1 Hearts 1 (Glentoran win 6-5 after penalties)

Tuesday, 15 July 2008

Glentoran warmed up for Thursday night's UEFA Cup clash with Latvian FC Metalurgs in the best possible fashion last night with a superb performance against Scottish side Hearts at the Oval.

Playing for the UMBRO Cup, the Glens drew 1-1 in normal time – Ryan Berry equalising Saulius Mikoliunas' early effort - and then went on to win the competition 6-5 on penalties with goalkeeper James Taylor, a pre-season capture from Dundela, emerging the hero as he saved the deciding penalty from Craig Sives.

It was a display that will give Alan McDonald's men great heart going into their first competitive game of the season and for the rest of the campaign especially seeing as the team put out after the break was more than a little fresh-faced with the boss choosing to give the full squad a run out.

Glentoran were caught on the back foot on the fifth minute when Mikoliunas chipped home from 20 yards into the top corner.

It didn't unsettle the Glens though and within a couple of minutes Dean Fitzgerald struck just wide after the visitors failed to clear a corner.

After that it became more and more like a pre-season friendly with the slightly more glamorous full-timers from across the sea controlling the proceedings and effortlessly sliding the ball around the impeccable Oval surface.

The Jambos certainly knew they were in a game with more than a couple of tasty challenges flying in and new boss Csaba Laszlo must have been grimacing at some of them. He took off star man Andrew Driver midway through the first half, clearly fearful that he may end up on the wrong end of a meaty tackle.

Alan McDonald's men had few opportunities on goal - those that did arrive came from distance and didn't even look like troubling goalkeeper Steve Banks.

But in the 73rd minute the home side equalised.

Scullion played a free kick across to Berry who lined-up a blistering drive from 22 yards which nestled in the bottom cor

ner of the goal to the young player's obvious delight.

The game would then be decided on penalties for the right to collect the UMBRO Cup and after 11 spot kicks between them it was the Glens who came out on top thanks to Taylor on his home debut.

GLENTORAN: Morris, Nixon, Ward, Johnny Taylor, Hill, Boyce, Fordyce, Fitzgerald, Neill, Hamilton, Halliday. Subs: James Taylor, Simpson, Scullion, Carson, Berry, McGovern, Bowers, McMenami, Burrows, Ferguson.

HEARTS: Banks, Thomson, Karipidis, Zaliukis, Wallace, Palazuelos, Jonsson, Mikoliunas, Stewart, Driver, Glenn.

Referee: Hugh Carville (Belfast).