Despite the Inver Reds being without a game for almost three weeks, Dan Bent, Greg Sandiford and James Simpson have all been in action as they represented Gibraltar, Grenada and Northern Ireland on the international stage.
Read below to see how they got on during the break.
Dan Bent – Gibraltar:
Dan Bent played in all four of Gibraltar’s fixtures as they got their UEFA Nations League Pool D campaign underway.
The side kicked off their international break with a friendly against São Tomé and Príncipe which saw the 30-year-old come off the bench to play 45 minutes as they played out a 0-0 draw at Victoria Stadium.
In their following game, Gibraltar hosted Andorra in their Nations League opener with the defender being named in the starting eleven before completing 90 minutes, helping the side keep a clean sheet, earning their first point as it finished 0-0.
Four days later the side travelled to Malta for an away clash in Ta’Qali where Bent again played the full 90 minutes as James Scanlon’s strike earned the side a third successive draw.
They then wrapped up their break with a friendly at home to Liechtenstein, winning 2-0 with goals from Bernardo Lopes and Dylan Borge to move six games unbeaten with Bent an ever-present in the team.
Greg Sandiford – Grenada:
Grenada’s CONCACAF Nations League B campaign began with an away trip to Cuba with Greg Sandiford earning his fifth cap for the nation, completing 90 minutes as they lost 3-0.
In their second of three successive away trips, ‘the Spice Boys’ took on St. Kitts & Nevis.
The 21-year-old was again named in the starting eleven, playing the full match as his side suffered back-to-back 3-0 defeats.
Grenada got their first points of the break in their third game as they completed an impressive comeback victory over Bonaire.
Having trailed 2-0, goals from Myles Hippolyte, Benjamin Ettienne and Caleb Redhead helped the nation complete the turnaround with Sandiford again playing the full 90 minutes.
Just three days later the sides met once more with Bonaire sealing a 4-1 win at the Hasley Crawford Stadium with Sandiford in from the start once more.
James Simpson – Northern Ireland U21s:
In his second camp with Tommy Wright’s Northern Ireland U21 squad, Simpson made his first start for the side as they won 4-0 away against Malta.
Goals from Jack Patterson (2), Shea Kearney and Bayley McCann sealed the win for the side with Simpson playing the full 90 minutes at the Centenary Stadium in Ta’Qali.
The side were next in action at the Ballymena Showgrounds as they hosted Georgia.
Simpson was again named in the starting eleven, playing 79 minutes as they were held to a 1-1 draw.
In their final game of the break, the 19-year-old made his third successive start for the side as they lost 1-0 to Greece at Mourneview Park.
