Two draws for Blues Reserves

However, the results didn’t come without their price as Gerard McMahon’s men picked up four injuries.

“We’re coming down with injuries at the minute and I even had to come off the bench for five minutes myself on Saturday,” said the boss.

“Joe Finlay’s out with a broken ankle, Ryan Murphy dislocated his elbow, Scott Adams has got swelling on his brain and on Saturday Niall Devlin cracked his ankle as well. Scott should be back this week, Niall will be three or four weeks but Joe and Ryan could be out longer term

“They all happened in the last two weeks and with the first team getting two sent off, we’ll be down a few players. That’s why we have a squad of 18 or 19 players.”

Even with all the injuries, the talented young side still picked up two good results against two of the league’s better sides, but the draws met mixed reactions from McMahon.

“We did reasonably well in the Cliftonville match and a draw was probably a fair result,” he said.

“We played decent against Glentoran too and should have been out of sight at half-time so I was disappointed with a point from that one, especially at home.

“Against Cliftonville, Cameron Grieve scored a penalty and then Michael McKee scored the equaliser in the last few minutes.

“They scored from a free-kick and a penalty so again conceding from set-pieces was our problem.

“Francis Brennan had missed a penalty that would have put us 1-0 up and then we went behind twice. I would have settled for a point before the match started.

“Joe Finlay got injured in that match so Michael McKee was our only striker for the Glentoran game. We played Declan Allister up there where he played years ago. He scored so he was happy enough and he was winning absolutely everything in the air.

“Glentoran are a very good side and are young like ourselves but we passed the ball about well and created plenty of chances. We hit the bar twice but in saying that, they hit the post and their’s was probably the easiest of the three chances.

“I was satisfied with a point at the end of the day after we had equalised with five minutes to go but we should have been three or four up after the first half.

“Cameron Grieve was solid in both of those matches and I think Ciaran Doherty and Anto McGonnell are getting the swing of things together in central midfield.

“Michael McKee missed a couple of chances on Saturday but he did very well holding the ball up. He could have had two or three goals but he’s very hard on himself. He’s only young and is getting into good positions. Once one goal goes in, I’m sure he’ll get more.”

And McKee’s next chance to find the net will be at the Coleraine Showgrounds on Saturday when McMahon’s men take on the Bannsiders (kick-off 2pm).