1 week Ago By Johnny Morton
Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Belfast News Letter, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Coming off a defeat to ‘Big Two’ rivals Linfield last time out, the Glens dealt with early Crues pressure before showing a ruthless display of finishing with Christie Pattisson’s superb strike followed up by goals from David Fisher, Jordan Jenkins and Kodi Lyons-Foster. Pattisson arrived at The Oval from Waterford in January and scored his second Premiership goal at Seaview with an emphatic half-volley.
Advertisement Advertisement The 27-year-old looked dangerous throughout Glentoran’s weekend win and his performance came as no surprise to McCann. "We all know the talent Christie has, we see it every day in training, but to come here and do it at a difficult venue and tight pitch, he was strong and did the right things when he had the ball,” he said. "It was an outstanding finish which he took really well and I think scoring that goal gave him confidence.
” Fisher ended his near six-month wait for a fifth Premiership goal of the campaign by tapping home from Joe Thomson’s cross and McCann feels it was just reward for the 23-year-old, who signed a new two-and-a-half-year contract extension in January. "We’ve been lacking that cutting edge in certain periods of this season,” added McCann. "The boys have been practicing and working all week in getting in behind teams and working on their finishing – today it paid off.
Advertisement Advertisement "I was delighted for David Fisher, who works his socks off every week and I was over the moon he got his goal. "To come here, a really tough place, and to score four goals, I thought some of our forward play was excellent. "You have to get through the first 15 or 20 minutes because Crusaders come flying out of the traps, throw everything at you and it’s difficult to deal with.
"Big Dan (Gyollai) pulls off a good save at 0-0 and that’s why he is there. I thought we were outstanding, even the subs that came on. Advertisement Advertisement "Paddy McClean hasn’t kicked a ball in six months and I thought he was immense, Johnny Russell slotted into right-back and he hasn’t played in about six weeks either.
It was an outstanding performance.” With two matches left to play, Glentoran remain one point ahead of Larne, who they face on the final day, in the race to finish second and seal an automatic spot in Conference League qualifying for next season. "That was the goal at the start of the season,” added McCann.
"European football for a club like Glentoran is important and we’re still in the mix and it’s still in our hands. "We have to go to Dungannon next weekend and try and put in the same performance and try to get the three points. Advertisement Advertisement "If somebody told you with two games to go that you have a chance of automatic promotion and it’s going to be in your own hands you’d have bitten their arm off.
"We’re not over the line, we’re not celebrating and there’s nobody jumping around the changing room – we’re focused on the next game.”.
