Glentoran made hard work of beating bottom of the table Lisburn Distillery in a dour Carling Premiership clash at the Oval.
Glentoran 2 - 0 Lisburn Distillery
Goals from Paul Leeman and Matty Burrows finally killed off the visitors but it was another lethargic performance by the champions who will have to show a lot more hunger if they are to retain the Gibson Cup - especially with Linfield, 3-1 winners over Coleraine, coming into form just at the right time.
Glentoran had almost all of the play in the first half but they had very few clear cut chances on goal to show for their efforts - or lack of.
The champions were clearly labouring and although Distillery were there for the taking - clearly showing the form of a team lacking in confidence, Glentoran still couldn't find a way past them.
On 14 minutes Richard Clarke, back in the side due to an injury to Shane McCabe, skipped around a couple of powder-puff challenges before unleashing a shot which didnt have enough power behind it to beat Philip Matthews in the Distillery goal.
The Glens were struggling to even string a pass together but finally on 23 minutes they got in behind the defence only for Matthews to save Gary Hamilton's effort from a tight angle.
In the second half Alan McDonald replaced defender Johnny Black with Michael halliday as the Glens tried to unlock the Whites defence and although they were showing a little more urgency, there was still a lack of creativity.
That was until the 67 minutes when the breakthrough goal finally arrived.
Kyle Neill took a free-kick 25 yards from goal and when a Distillery defender swung his leg at it, the ball deflected to Leeman who powered the ball home from eight yards out.
But Distillery could well have grabbed an unlikely equaliser on 76 minutes.
Aftre a corner from the left, the Glens defence struggled to clear and eventually the ball found a path to substitute Aaron Nash. The former Derry City player took a look up and chipped the ball towards the top corner but Sean ward miraculously headed off the line with Elliott Morris well beaten.
That was as close as they got and Matty Burrows almost put the seal on a laboured victory for Glentoran when he went on a great run but poked his shot just wide.
Glentoran: Morris, Nixon, Leeman, Ward, Black (Halliday 46), Gillespie, Clarke (Fordyce 65), Fitzgerald, Neill, Hamilton, Waterworth (Burrows 77). Subs: James Taylor, Johnny Taylor.
Lisburn Distillery: Matthews, McCann, S Thompson, Muir, Callaghan, Cooling, McDonnell, McAllister (Kilmartin 73), G Thompson (Friel 83), Corey (Nash 73), Browne. Subs: Simpson, Gawley.
Referee: David Dunlop (Belfast)
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