Glentoran made it three wins on the bounce under Rodney McAree as they ran out 2-0 winners over Crusaders in somewhat controversial circumstances at The Oval.
After a forgettable first half the game burst into life three minutes after the restart as Shay McCartan put the hosts in front.
On closer inspection though it was clear to see the ball struck his hand before going into the net.
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Crusaders' mood wasn't helped six minutes later when McCartan curled home a free-kick, but they could have no complaints about this goal.
Unsurprisingly the hosts went with the same starting eleven which thumped Dungannon Swifts 6-0 just under a week ago.
The Crues were forced into a change from the side which beat Linfield 2-0 last Tuesday night.
Top scorer Philip Lowry missed out due to a one-match suspension with Declan Caddell coming into the midfield.
With six points and nine goals in the bag for McAree in his first two games since replacing Mick McDermott at the helm the mood had lifted at The Oval.
But this was always going be the first real test for the new regime with Crusaders looking to close the gap on league leaders Cliftonville to four points.
It was the visitors who almost broke the deadlock in somewhat bizarre circumstances with five minutes on the clock.
Jude Winchester whipped a dangerous inswnging cross into the box, which Caddell threw himself at but didn't seem to make any contact with, the ball bounced up off the surface clipping the far post before being hacked away.
The hosts responded with McCartan and Niall McGinn combining to tee up Jay Donnelly, but he was crowded out when he tried to get a shot off.
Donnelly went closer on 15 minutes after McCartan had picked him out with a cross, but he headed straight at Johnny Tuffey.
The first half was a largely lacklustre affair though as the play was broken up by too many stoppages for niggly fouls.
The game burst into life straight after the restart as Tuffey denied McCartan with a great block after he had been put through on goal.
From the resulting corner Donnelly laid the ball back to Rhys Marshall on the edge of the box, he whipped the ball into the back post for McCartan to put into the net thanks to a combination of his head and hand.
The Crues players were rightly aggrieved and Tuffey ended up being booked for his protests.
It was about to get worse for the visitors as the Glens doubled their lead six minutes later and it was that man McCartan again.
This time he curled a free kick into the net despite Tuffey's best efforts after Caddell had brought him down outside the box.
The Crues desperately pushed for a way back into the game but the closing stages were once again littered with numerous fouls and yellow cards as the Glens held on for the win to move within a point of their opponents.
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