Linfield

Kirk Millar (87)

1

Glentoran

0

Kirk Millar celebrates his late winner with his Linfield team-mates (©INPHO/Brian Little)

LATE MILLAR FINISH EARNS DERBY HONOURS FOR BLUES

Saturday, 14 September 2019

A Kirk Millar goal late in the game gave Linfield victory over Glentoran at Windsor Park in the first 'Big Two' derby of the season.

Millar struck on 87 minutes from 12 yards with a deflected effort past Marijan Antolović after Mark Stafford and Joel Cooper combined to touched a Bastien Héry ball into his path.

The Blues might have gone in front as early as the third minute when Shayne Lavery flicked a Cooper cross from the left just over while not long after at the other Paul O'Neill volleyed an Elvio van Overbeek cross wide.

The sides continued to trade chances as the first half progressed with Lavery nodding over from Millar's left-sided corner while Robbie McDaid's curling effort sailed just over.

Stafford then threatened when, following a succession of corners, he saw his glancing header tipped around an upright but perhaps the best chance of the opening 45 minutes fell to van Overbeek who hesitated in front of goal after being teed up by Hrvoje Plum allowing Chris Casement to clear.

Glentoran looked the more likely to break the deadlock after the break with Plum twice being denied by Rohan Ferguson whilst, on 74 minutes, van Overbeek's cross was headed against the crossbar by McDaid.

However, just as it looked the game would end all square up popped Millar to bag that late winner.

Linfield: Ferguson, Stafford, Callacher, Waterworth, Cooper, Millar, Lavery, Héry, Mulgrew, Quinn, Casement subs Deane, Shevlin, Clarke, Fallon, McGivern, Mitchell, Reynolds

Glentoran: Antolović, Kane, Peers, Herron, McDaid, McClean, Pepper, Crowe, O'Neill, Plum, van Overbeek subs Morris, C. Gallagher, Murray, Stewart, Smith, Gordon, Đurić

Referee: Ian McNabb

Attendance: 4810

Tags:  Glentoran  Linfield