Glentoran can’t wallow in Big Two misery with big tests to come, insists John Gregg

Glentoran assistant boss John Gregg admits his side can't afford to be disappointed for long

Linfield striker Matthew Fitzpatrick slots home during the Blues' Boxing Day derby victory over Glentoran

Glentoran goalkeeper Aaron McCarey parries away Linfield forward Rhys Annett's penalty at Windsor Park

Assistant boss John Gregg insists Glentoran have no time to lick their seeping wounds following their Boxing Day mauling by Big Two rivals Linfield at Windsor Park.

The east Belfast side approached the game under the cloud of never having won a festive showdown at the home of their cross-town enemy – and they never appeared capable of altering that unwanted statistic.

Goals in each half from Ben Hall and striker Matthew Fitzpatrick had the blue half of the international arena bouncing with delight.

It could have been much worse for the visitors because Blues striker Rhys Annett fluffed his lines from the penalty spot before defensive pair Dan Finlayson and Matthew Clarke watched efforts crash off the post.

The result meant Warren Feeney’s Glens now trail Healy’s men by a whopping 17 points in the Sports Direct Premiership table – their chances of lifting the Gibson Cup for the first time since 2009, under the leadership of the late Alan McDonald, have again been washed down the tubes.

Feeney had to squirm in the grandstand – because of suspension – as he watched his men suffer their seventh defeat of the League campaign. It was left to Gregg to try and dissect the team’s latest downfall.

“Everything we did well in the previous game (against Dungannon Swifts), we didn’t do at all against Linfield,” said the former Institute boss. “In big games like that, you must get the simple things right.

“We didn’t do the ugly side of the