Red cards, penalty misses and Glens go top

BBC News

2 days ago

The first set of midweek fixtures in the Irish Premiership did not disappoint as there were plenty of goals, red cards and penalty misses in the five games on Tuesday.Glentoran moved top of the table with their third straight win, this time at home against winless Glenavon.Elsewhere, Ballymena United made it two wins from two, Coleraine and Crusaders also won, the latter picking up three points against nine-man Bangor and Cliftonville and Larne played out an entertaining draw at Solitude.BBC Sport NI looks at some of the main talking points from the five fixtures.
Bryden hat-trick in bonkers Bangor game
Crusaders, not content with their game of the season contender in their opening game, a 4-3 loss against Carrick Rangers at Seaview, served up another crazy game against Bangor.Declan Caddell's side fought back from a goal down to claim a 3-1 victory courtesy of Fraser Bryden's hat-trick, but they were equally indebted to goalkeeper Musa Dibaga for helping them collect their first three points of the season.The stopper, who joined from Inverness Caledonian Thistle in the summer, saved penalties from Ben Arthurs and Ben Cushnie, twice diving the right way to preserve his side's lead.Bryden kept his cool late on to score his hat-trick and that is now four goals in two games for the striker. Crues fans will hope he can have a similar impact to that of fellow Scottish striker Kieran Offord last season and it is clear so far that he is calm and clinical in front of goal.Bangor will be bitterly disappointed that they passed up the chance to claim a point with those two penalty misses.Ill-discipline cost them too as two players were sent off in the space of two minutes, not long after two members of the coaching staff also saw red.Stephen McGuinness was given his marching orders for a foul in midfield before substitute Matthew Ferguson was dismissed for an off the ball incident.
Glens surge top as winning run continues
It may only be three games into the season, but Glentoran look like they could mount a title charge this year.Declan Devine's side have won their first three games, scored four goals and conceded none, showing a ruthless efficiency.Jordan Stewart has been playing like he has a point to prove upon his return to the Oval.After a standing ovation on Saturday for his display against Bangor, he scored his first goal since arriving back in east Belfast against Glenavon, reacting instinctively to head home the rebound from his shot that was saved.Jordan Jenkins then slotted home a second and he will be an important player for the Glens again, especially with the injuries that are piling up which will be the only cause for concern so far for Devine.After losing Patrick Hoban before the season started and David Fisher on the opening day, Ryan Cooney and Liam Burt limped off against the Lurgan Blues on Tuesday.They are also without Dylan Connolly and Christie Pattisson through suspension so may dip into the transfer market again before the window shuts if any of those injuries turn out to be serious.
Pulsating Solitude encounter ends all square
Former Linfield striker Andy Waterworth described it as "the most enjoyable" Irish Premiership game he had seen for a "long time" when on co-commentary at Solitude in a rare moment in which he could catch his breath as Cliftonville and Larne fought tooth and nail to find a winner.It was end-to-end from the off in north Belfast and while Cliftonville were fast out of the traps, it was actually Larne who dominated the first half, and they certainly were not playing like a side whose manager had departed the day before the game.Under the interim charge of the reliable Gary Haveron again, the Invermen deservedly went in front through a fabulous strike from Tiernan O'Connor before half-time.That goal seemed to rally Cliftonville, and they looked transformed after the break, producing their best half of football so far this season.Joe Gormley equalised and then it was helter skelter stuff with chances at both ends before the contentious moment of the game arrived.Michael Glynn was adjudged to have clipped Benji Magee as he raced into the box, with the referee awarding a penalty and sending off the defender, which incensed Reds boss Jim Magilton, who said it was a "really poor decision".Some sort of justice will have been served by PJ Morrison saving Magee's tame effort and then Dan Bent was dismissed for two yellow cards as both sides had to settle for a point.It was probably a fair result in a classic game of two halves, although both are still searching for a first win of the season and Larne too are now on the hunt for a permanent successor to Nathan Rooney.Haveron, if he wants the job, will have done his chances no harm with how he set the team up and how they played at Solitude.
Swifts' struggles continue
Three games, three defeats, one goal scored, nine conceded and bottom of the table.It is not the start to the season even the most pessimistic of Dungannon Swifts fans would have expected following last year's fantastic league campaign and Irish Cup success.Without influential suspended trio Gael Bigirimana, Leo Alves and Declan Dunne, the Swifts struggled again against a ruthless Coleraine side, who did the damage in the first half.Some poor defending allowed Declan McManus to open the scoring with a close-range header and Jamie Glackin to add a second with an acrobatic effort.While Rodney McAree's side improved in the second half, Coleraine held firm, recording a third consecutive clean sheet which for all their attacking flair, could be the base upon which they build their title challenge.The Swifts' next three fixtures have suddenly become must not lose as they look to get their first points of the season.They are at home against Carrick Rangers but face tricky away games against Bangor and fellow strugglers Glenavon.McAree has work to do to get Swifts out of this predicament.