Glentoran move into top spot after seeing off Institute

Institute 0, Glentoran 2
Winger Navid Nasseri fires home Glentoran's opening goal at the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium.Winger Navid Nasseri fires home Glentoran's opening goal at the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium.
Winger Navid Nasseri fires home Glentoran's opening goal at the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium.

First half goals from Navid Nasseri and Keith Cowan ensured Glentoran easily move into top spot of the Danske Bank Premiership, after seeing off lowly Institute.

The Oval men, in truth were always in control after Nasseri's opening goal and could have won by a bigger margin, against a battling 'Stute side, who never really threatened Mick McDermott's league leaders.

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Institute made just the one change to their side which drew at Glenavon, with Aidan McCauley replacing Cormac Burke, who dropped to the bench.

As for the Glens, manager Mick McDermott decided to give three debuts to Cowan, Caolan Marron and Andrew Mitchell

'Stute should have taken the lead on 18 minutes as Gareth Brown found space inside the box, before feeding McCauley, but the midfielder's close range effort on the slide, was well saved by a out-rushing Glens keeper Marijan Antolovic.

That miss came back to haunt the Waterside men, who fell a goal behind two minutes later, as Nasseri, made no mistake blasting home, after Elvio Van Overbeek capitalised on Ryan Morrow's defensive slip, to create the opening.

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Moments later 'Stute went close to levelling things, but his long range drive, which had Antolovic scrambling, flashed just past the left hand post.

Just on the half-hour mark Nasseri went close to netting a second, but his stinging drive through a ruck of players, was gathered by a diving Rory Brown.

The visitors netted a second on 43 minutes, as Plum's curling free-kick around the post was only parried out by Brown and Cowan gleefully side footed home the rebound.

The Mitchell and Robbie McDaid partnership went close to linking up on 47 minutes, but the ex-Leeds United starlet fired wide, after the former Glenavon man's cross had created the opening.

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McDaid should have scored on 51 minutes, but after chesting down Mitchell's pass and with Rory Brown to beat, the front man blazed over from 14 yards.

With their tails up the Glens went close again just before the hour mark, but Nasseri's long range drive failed to trouble Rory Brown.

Soon after Sean Connor made a change with youngster Ahu Obhakhan replacing Joe McCready and with his first touch, he was inches away from pulling a goal back.

Alex Pomeroy broke clear down the left before his low centre to the back post, found the Drogheda native, but on the slide he was unable to trouble Antolovic.

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Just after the hour mark a neat pass by Pomeroy released Gareth Brown, but the striker’s right footed effort sailed over the bar and just summed up the home side’s day.

Institute: R Brown, Brogan, Curry, McLaughlin, Morrow; Tweed (Burke 74), McCauley (Carty 67), Crown, G Brown; McCready (Obhakhan 57), Pomeroy..

Glentoran: Antolovic, Marron, Cowan, Garrett, Kane; Gallagher, Plum, Nasseri (O'Connor 70); Van Overbeek (O'Neill 68), Mitchell, McDaid.

Referee: Robert Hennessy (Clare).