GLENTORAN 3-1 BANGOR, JJB Sports Premiership.

The Oval, Tuesday 10th February 2009
Match Report by Neil Watson 

Three second half goals saw Glentoran come from behind to beat Bangor on Tuesday night. Mark Magennis gave the Seasiders a deserved first half lead as he headed in his first goal for the club. The introduction of Matthew Burrows on the hour mark changed the game as the former Dundela striker equalised in acrobatic fashion with his first touch of the game. A contentious goal from a corner doubled the home side's lead before Burrows turned provider for Dean Fitzgerald who sealed the game late on.

Caretaker Bangor boss John Bailie changed personal from Saturday's defeat at Coleraine with Darren Lockhart partnering Jim McMenamin in the heart of defence while Noel Anderson slotted into the midfield beside David Irvine.

Those changes certainly worked as a misfiring Glentoran team were easily contained by the Bangor defence.

Bangor kept the ball well with Paul McDowell shooting straight at Elliott Morris from 20 yards after 30 minutes at the end of a fine move.

In the 42nd minute, a quick freekick allowed Irvine to move the ball to the left wing towards Andy Morrow. The Bangor captain sent an inswinging cross into the box where the diminutive Mark Magennis glanced a header into the far corner of the net past Morris to give his side the lead.

On the stroke of half time, Paul McDowell again forced Morris into a save with a stinging 20 yard drive.

Half-time: 0 - 1

Moments after the restart, Ryan Brown was forced into his first save of the match as he did well to block a 16 yard Fordyce shot after the midfielder had robbed Irvine of possession.

The game changed in the 60th minute when Matthew Burrows replaced the ineffective David Scullion as the Glens looked for a way back into the game. And the goal they were looking for arrived 30 seconds later. A long throw from the left was headed towards the penalty spot where the unmarked Burrows acrobatically connected with the ball to send it flying past the helpless Brown and into the roof of the net.

By this stage it was all one way traffic as Bangor struggled to hold the ball and get out of their own half. In a bid to change things, Bangor replaced Melly and McDowell with Hand and McKee. But within minutes of those changes, the home side took the lead when an inswinging corner was bundled into the net, along with Ryan Brown, by Dean Fitzgerald. Despite Bangor protests that a foul had been committed, referee Stephen Weatherall awarded the goal and booked Irvine for his complaints.

Glentoran made sure of all three points in the 82nd minute when the lively Burrows raced down the left before cutting the ball back for the arriving Fitzgerald who thumped the ball high into the roof of the net.

Full-time: 3 - 1

Bangor: Brown, Youle, Boyd, McMenamin, Lockhart, Melly ('70 Hand), Magennis, Irvine ('90 Hunter), Anderson, Morrow, McDowell ('70 McKee). Subs not used: Cleary, T Tumelty.

Scorer: Magennis ('42) Booked: Irvine, Anderson

Glentoran: Morris, Nixon, Hill, Ward ('43 Fitzgerald), Leeman, Fordyce, Scullion ('60 Burrows), McCabe, McGovern, Hamilton, Waterworth. Subs not used: Simpson, Halliday, Taylor

Scorers: Burrows ('60), Fitzgerald ('74, '82)

Referee: Mr S. Weatherall