Glentoran and Crusaders played out a dreary 0-0 draw at the Oval - a result that did neither team any favours in the race for the Carling Premiership.
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Glentoran 0 - 0 Crusaders
The two sides occupied second and third respectively going into Saturday's match but results elsewhere have now knocked them down to third and fourth with Cliftonville and Linfield now in the box seat.
It was a poor game, with little in the way of entertainment to warm up the fans on a cold day in east Belfast and now both the Glens and the Crues are playing catch up.
The match started badly and got progressively worse before finally sparking into life, late in the day.
Crusaders had the best of the first half and should have really been in front at the break with the few opportunities they created.
After 15 minutes Jordan Owens and David Rainey combined to release Declan Caddell and after opeing up the Glentoran defence, Cadell was left free but somehow shot wide of goal.
ten minutes later Owens miscued his effort when he was found from the right as the Glens left gaps at the back.
The only time the Crusaders defence was really troubled arrived when Johnny Black's cross was met at the back post by Keith Gillespie, but his header flashed wide of goal.
The second half was much better than the first and Glentoran revealed their intent from the start. Dean Fitzgerald, on as a substitute for Ciaran Martyn who came off injured, saw his volley well saved by Chris Keenan after 53 minutes and then soon after, Black let fly with a superb strike from fully 35 yards which struck the post.
Paul Leeman volleyed across goal but Daryl Fordyce couldn't turn it towards the net and then Fitzgerald was again denied when his shot was deflected over the bar by Owens from eight yards out.
In what became the last throw of the dice as far as Glentoran were concerned, Black fired a brilliant freee-kick over the wall and looked destined for goal only for Keenan to get down well and save on the line.
Then in what would have been a real smash and grab, Owens almost stole it for the Crues when he was left unmarked on the edge of the box but shot straight at Morris.
Glentoran: Morris, Nixon, Leeman, Ward, Black, Gillespie, Martyn (Fitzgerald 34), McCabe, Fordyce (Halliday 67), Hamilton, Waterworth (Burrows 79). Subs: James Taylor, Johnny Taylor.
Crusaders: Keenan, McKeown, Magowan, Coates, McBride, Caddell (McMaster 70), Doherty, Morrow (McCann 88), Donnelly, Owens, Rainey (Arthurs 82). Subs: Magee, Murphy.
Referee: Alan Black (Antrim)
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