Same Old!

After United's first match under Tommy Wright, as far as I'm concerned, it's the same old story, we created lots of chances but were unable to finish them off. I think on the chances for both teams today a fair result would have been a United victory by three clear goals, as it was they came away with a one nil defeat. Portadown missed an early opening when Simms mistimed his challenge and Portadown's McCann tried to drill the ball past United's stranded keeper Greg Shannon. If he had done the obvious and lobbed the ball over the United custodian, then the 'wee skies' would have been one down with barely four minutes on the clock. As it was the ball just trickled past the United keeper and Kieran Donaghy 'hoofed' it upfield. In their first real attack United spurned a great chance, when after a good surge down the left flank by former Linfield player Stuart King, Vinny Sweeney failed to hit the target with the goal at his mercy, when King's cross eluded the Port's defence. The United frontman claimed for a corner as a Ports defender clearly blocked his goalbound effort, but referee Turkington, who had a real 'stinker' waved his protests away. With fourteen minutes on the clock referee Turkington awarded the Ports a free kick, what for I honestly don't know, even though I was standing no more than 8 yards from the scene, I could see no reason for it. Ports' winger McCann set the ball on Arkins head on the edge of the box and he made no mistake with a powerful header, that beat Shannon all ends up. To their credit United didn't allow this setback to annoy them unduly and they began 'probing' the Ports defensive frailities. As the ball was cleared form a United attack, Rory Hamill almost caught the home keeper napping with an overhead kick which the keeper was glad to push over the bar. Two minutes later the United pressure should've brought about an equaliser when Hamill found himself, one on one with the keeper, but his weak shot was easily smothered by the Ports custodian. United kept pounding away at the Ports defence and Hamill perpertrated the 'miss' of the match, when he got on the end of a Donaghy pass, but again shot weakly at the Portadown goalie. From a United corner a Gordon Simm's header glanced off the home team's crossbar to safety. With halftime approaching the ball fell to the big Larneman once more and he turned and hit the ball on the half volley, but could only watch in amazement as the ball flashed wide of Miskimmon's left post. The United defence, where veteran Boydie was outstanding, kept the Portadown hitmen down to long range shots which, Shannon dealt with fairly easily. Just before haltime we had one of those incidents which give football a bad name, when after a 'good and fair' tackle by United's Gordon Simms, Portadown player Gary Hamilton went down writhing in agony. Referee Turkington in a complete miscarriage of justice showed the United centre-half a yellow card, when earlier he had 'waved play on' when the Ports defenders were flying in with 'two-footed' tackles. As if to add insult to injury Portadown's Hamilton didn't even require the physio's ministrations and should surely have been booked for 'diving', but the referee took no action. He also seemed to be giving Ports hardman, Mickey Collins, some extra protection as Collins was allowed to foul continuously, but as soon as a United player went close to him the referee blew for an infringement.

In the second half United weren't quite as lively as they had been in the first and despite winning half a dozen free kicks they never really threatened the Ports goal. Scates playing on the right wing, a complete waste of talent, was withdrawn midway through the half and Dominic Melly took his place. Melly didn't help the United cause as he tended to lie too deep and indeed it was stand-in striker Sweeney who opened up the Ports defence when he flashed a ball across the Ports goal, only for Stuart King to volley wildly over the bar, another good chance going a begging. Boydie then came on a surging run only to be cleaned by the Ports right back, a dirty vicious foul. Even referee Turkington couldn't ignore this and flourished the manadatory yellow card and awarded United a free kick which King balooned wildly over the bar. Two minutes later the same player almost 'ripped' the shirt off King's back, but escaped further punishment from the referee. Gary Haveron, slightly disappointing in midfield, fired in a 'gem' of a cross which just shaved the Ports upright with Miskimmon helpless, but no United forward nearby. After a spell of Portadown pressure, Sweeney carried the ball out of defence before releasing King with a well timed pass, only to have the linesman flag for off-side, a diabolical decision. Then in a somewhat strange move the United manager took off his best player, Boydie, bringing on youngster Craig McClean. Although this young player promised much, he delivered precious little and in fact almost secured the points for Portadown, when he lost possession during a United attack. He was indebted to United's goalkeeper Greg Shannnon who blocked Gary Hamilton's goalbound shot with his face, when a goal looked certain. With the match deep in injury time United carved out one last chance, when Melly at last got to the by-line and squared the ball into the box, only for Sweeney to miss with a free header from 3 yards out, a deplorable miss I must say. All in all this was not a bad display from United, but they still need to unearth a goalscorer from somewhere and they need to get him soon.


Shannon 7 Aid Watson 6 MoM: Boydie

Donaghy 6 Sweeney 5

Boydie 8 Hamill 6

Haveron 6 King 7 Referee: B. Turkington 2

Alb Watson 8 Sub: Melly 6

Simms 6 Sub: McClean 5

Scates 6