Glentoran edged a superb match at the Showgrounds that saw seven goals, two red cards and a Matty Burrows hat-trick.
Highlights: Newry v Glentoran
Interview: Pat McGibbon
Interview: Scott Young
In an action-packed first half, both sides played some excellent football with City seemingly lifted by new manager and former Glentoran defender Pat McGibbon - who was taking charge of his first game as boss of the bottom club.
However, it was Scott Young's men who could have gone in front as early as the second minute.
Matty Burrows made space for himself down the right wing and his cross was met by Andy Waterworth who could only head over the crossbar from just outside the six-yard box.
After Conor Downey and Alan Davidson had both shot over for the home side, Newry had their first shot on target on 14 minutes. Ross Black rolled a free to Davidson and the midfielder let fly from 30 yards but Elliott Morris in the Glens goal was able to hold the effort comfortably.
A minute later, Andy Graham headed just over the bar from a Tommy McCallion free kick from the right before the visitors broke the deadlock on 18 minutes.
Gavin McDonnell looked to have been fouled just inside the Glentoran half, but referee Arnold Hunter waved play on as the ball made its way to Burrows on the left wing.
The striker used his pace to drive forward and as John Convery backed off, Burrows drove in a superb low drive from 18 yards that flew into the bottom right hand corner of the net.
A minute before the half hour, Morris had to be at his best to prevent City from equalising with an excellent save from Convery. Davidson floated in a free kick to the back post and the Newry captain headed it goalwards from point blank range but Morris clawed it away superbly.
Conor Hagan flashed a 30-yard drive just wide of the post on the half hour before McCallion produced a brilliant leveller on 37 minutes. The former Glentoran midfielder weaved his way across the edge of the box before cracking home a fine right footed effort from 20 yards to give Morris no chance.
But if McCallion's goal was good then Daryl Fordyce's strike four minutes before the break was simply stunning. Picking up the ball fully 35 yards out, Fordyce rifled in an unstoppable shot that went straight into the top right hand corner of the net giving Coleman no chance - a surefire contender for goal of the season.
Newry levelled four minutes after the restart when Andy Graham's shot wasn't held by Morris and, as the ball spilled lose another ex-Oval player, Peter McCann - only on the pitch at half-time for his debut - managed to backheel it into the empty net from three yards.
At the other end, Convery nearly put into his own net when he attempted to cut out Grant Gardiner's cross but, luckily for him, the ball cannoned off the base of the post before eventually being scrambled clear.
McCann nearly put Newry in front when he got on the end of Gavin McDonnell's header only for Morris to block well on 65 before Burrows got his second to restore Glentoran's lead four minutes later. Finding himself one on one with Coleman, the striker neatly sidestepped the City keeper before slotting home.
Newry drew level for the third time in the match when McCann grabbed his second with a looped shot that caught Morris off his line and dropped in under the crossbar on 77.
Controversy then reigned as the referee red carded Newry's Ross Black following an altercation with Burrows who had lunged in and was lucky only to receive a booking.
Burrows was then pulled down in the box by Hagan who was sent off and the forward stroked home the penalty for his hat-trick.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Newry City: Coleman, Alderdice, Convery, McDonnell, Black, McCallion, Hagan, Downey (P McCann 46), Davidson (Ferguson 80), M McCann, Graham Subs not used: Devlin, King, Hazley.
Glentoran: Morris, Nixon, Clarke, Waterworth, Gawley, Burrows, Taylor (Ward 80), Fordyce, Hill, McGovern, Burns (Gardiner 46) Subs not used: Leeman, Steele, Doran.
8 окт 2024
