Punched DrunK!

Firstly let me apologise for this ‘late, late’, match report, it is due to circumstances beyond my control. Starting out on my way to Newry on Saturday I was feeling fairly confident, but things started to go badly wrong on the way and they just got worse and alas so did I. Now down to business, having missed the first five minutes of the match I can’t say whether we started well or not, but I was there on time to see Gary Haveron miss a ‘sitter’, when he drove a feeble shot against Goosey’s legs, when something with more pace would have surely put us one up. This chance was set up by Johnny Steele, whom many people, myself included, thought should’ve shot himself instead of passing to Haveron anyway. Young Aiden Watson, my ‘man of the match’ against the Ports last Tuesday, was badly out of his depth up against ‘Packy’ McAllister. Surely the United management should’ve spotted this and switched things round, but because they didn’t Newry began to dominate in midfield. After some more good work by the United forwards the ball fell to Haveron once more, but his shot was deflected for a corner. Once I saw that Carrickfergus man Michael Ross was refereeing the game, I knew there was bound to be some ‘controversy’ and I wasn’t disappointed. With 35 minutes on the clock Vinny Sweeney became entangled with McAllister and Gerry Flynn on the near touchline. Packy, in clear view of both the Linesman and the referee head-butted Sweeney while Flynn in pretence of separating the players punched the United man. After ‘chatting’ to his linesman, Ross merely cautioned McAllister, a complete and utter travesty, but even worse allowed, Flynn to get away ‘Scot free’, a ridiculous decision. Two minutes later the United defence allowed themselves to be distracted and McAllister, who let’s face it should’ve been in the dressing room, rose at the far post to head in past the stranded McFrederick. United ‘huffed and puffed’ but were unable to get their way back into the game before halftime.

United manager Tommy Wright took off the ineffective Kelby and brought on the fit again Rory Hamill. Suddenly United looked a bit more menacing and the visiting fans were looking forward to a good outcome. Ten minutes into the half young Watson limped off to be replaced by Scates and United really began to look menacing. After a good run by Steele, where he left three Newry defenders trailing in his wake, he unselfishly squared the ball to Scates who shot wildly past the post from the edge of the box, a shocking miss. Five minutes later McAllister scythed Scates down as he bounded past him and of course referee Ross took no action. The Newry management, who have obviously ‘cottoned on’ to Packy’s animalistic tendencies, substituted him almost immediately. United winger Stuart King injured himself after taking a free kick and United fans were up in arms at the linesman who failed to signal to the referee, when it was patently obvious the player was in severe pain. King was helped off with Albert Watson taking his place and United switched to three at the back, Donaghy, Simms and Smyth, with Albert moving into centre midfield. Shortly after this we witnessed more ineptitude from the referee when Newry ‘midget’, Curran, blatantly ‘punched’ United wingback McClean on two separate occasions and the official took no action whatsoever. The Newry team in general and former United keeper Goosey in particular, wasted time at every opportunity and again the referee took no action. After yet another good run by Steele he laid the ball off to Hamill, who wastefully chipped the ball over the bar, much to the disgust of the United faithful. Steele continued to probe and brought a great save from Goosey in the 90th minute when after cutting in he hit a ferocious shot, which the keeper somehow managed to keep out. United keeper McFrederick, who had been reluctant to leave his line all day failed to do so in injury time and with Gareth Scates dithering Newry substitute Crawford nipped in to score an undeserved second goal for Newry. There was no coming back from this sucker punch and referee Ross finally made a correct decision when he blew the final whistle. Once more United had been ‘muscled’ out of a game and I think it’s something we’ll have to work on in training. If referees are going to allow opposing players to get away with foul tactics, then we’ll have to start playing that way ourselves!

McFrederick           5`          Aiden Watson                5     MoM:  Steele

Donaghy          5          Kelbie                    5

McClean          7          Steele                    8

Haveron          6          King                    6       Referee:      M. Ross     1

Simms               6          1st Sub: Hamill          5

Smyth               7           2nd Sub: Scates          6

Sweeney          6            3rd Sub: Albert Watson     7  

          

Cup Blues!

Any thoughts in last night’s match that Portadown would be taking it easy against United, having already being assured of topping the group, were quickly dispelled as the men from the ‘orchard’ county took the game to the home game from the outset. Even minus half a dozen regulars, the Ports were still too slick for the ‘sluggish’ United defence. United themselves weren’t helped by the absence of left back Boydie, sidelined for at least three months with a hairline fracture of his kneecap. Young Craig McClean moved back into Boydie’s place with the fit again Stuart King taking over the wide left position in midfield, otherwise the team was the same as Saturday’s starting line-up. United were indebted to an alert linesman who, rightly ruled out a Portadown goal for offside after 12 minutes. This scare seemed to jolt the home team and young Aiden Watson got on the end of a King through ball, but unfortunately could only drag the ball wide of goal. United began to exert a bit of pressure on the visitors and forced a corner on the left. Striker Steele’s driven cross was unfortunately ‘missed’ by the United attackers. Twenty five minutes into the game United took the lead, when Stuart King’s early cross was ‘hooked’ into the net by young Watson, his first goal for the club. Five minutes later former United midfielder Jamie Marks was booked by referee Adrian Ball for a heavy tackle. The home team remained positive throughout the half, but despite putting the visitors under pressure, they couldn’t add to their tally.

The bad news at halftime was that Newry were leading two nil and it’s not known if this affected the home team or not, but whether it was that, or the tactics of manager Wright or the counter tactics of visiting manager Ronnie McFall, United were never seen as an attacking force in the second half. Portadown for their part depended on ‘long ball’ tactics hoping for a mistake from the United defence. The Sky Blues despite a few scares held firm, but tragedy struck after 65 minutes, when Captain Gary Smyth limped off with an injury. Gareth Scates came on as a substitute, with Haveron moving into the back four. After this it was only a matter of hanging on for the home team, as the Ports went in search of an equaliser. Gareth Scates came to his side’s rescue when he was on hand to head a goalbound effort off the line with the keeper beaten. During this spell of concerted pressure we once more witnessed the ‘inconsistency’ with which our referees are plagued. Twice Portadown players were ‘blown’ up for offside, but continued on with the play, normally an automatic booking, referee Ball took no action. Then in the last ten minutes United midfielder King deliberately handled the ball and was promptly booked. I appreciate that this was the correct decision but as the two visiting ‘culprits’ had got off Scot free, it hardly seems fair, does it?  As United seemed to have weathered the Portadown ‘storm’ they came more into the game and young Watson was ‘brutally’ upended by Marks, again the referee didn’t adhere to the rules and just talked to the offender. With three minutes remaining United began to waste time, something which I personally abhor, instead of trying to put the game out of reach. This was to prove a costly mistake as two minutes into injury time Portadown snatched an equaliser, with a mishit shot from midfielder Quinn which eluded McFrederick in the United goal, nestling in the corner of the net. Referee Ball who had found four minutes of stoppage time at the end of the first half, blew up a minute later, but I don’t honestly believe we’d have scored again if he’d played all night. United’s night of misery was complete when the news filtered through that former keeper Goosey Robinson had saved a last minute penalty to deny Glenavon a point at home to Newry, it just wasn’t our night, was it?

McFrederick               6     Sweeney          6     MoM:     Aiden Watson

Donaghy                6     Aiden Watson          8

McClean                6     Steele               5

Haveron               7     Kelbie               5     Referee: A. Ball     3

Simms                    6     King               7

Smyth                     7     Sub: Scates          7       

Three Points!

After five games in the C.I.S. cup Ballymena gave one of their most inept performances in the first game in their quest for the Gibson cup. The first half was so boring that the only incident to lighten the gloom was the ‘hilarious’ performance of the United ball boys, who continue to amuse the fans with their antics. If, as is rumoured, these boys are taught their ‘skills’ (I use the word ‘skills’ in its loosest form here), by the United youth coaching staff, I fear for the future of our wee club. But I digress, maybe United had some excuse as they were trying out a new attacking formation on Saturday. With Vice-captain Rory Hamill still missing with a thigh injury, the home team were also without, Stuart King and Dominic Melly. That meant using Kevin Kelbie and Johnny Steele up front, with Sweeney wide on the right and young Craig McClean wide on the left. Referee Weatherall, after allowing the Larne players to kick ‘lumps’ out of the home team, cautioned their number six for a heavy foul and then as if to even things up cautioned Simms of United for a similar offence, but the difference was, it was his first foul of the game. I can’t remember Larne keeper Spackman having to make one save worthy of the name during an insipid first half and the home team didn’t even force a corner until the 41st minute. Larne were the more dominant team in that first period and the United defence were kept under constant pressure throughout the half, although in all fairness the visitors never looked like scoring and their best effort was a shot from distance which gave McFrederick in the United goal no trouble at all.

The second half was at least a wee bit better and five minutes after the restart United scored the decisive goal, in a somewhat fortuitous manner. Vinny Sweeney for once managed to put in a good cross which bounced off Kelbie and despite a miskick, Steele connected at the second attempt. Even this wasn’t a clean shot and the ball ‘skidded’ along the goal-line and despite Spackman’s frantic efforts, rolled into the Larne net. As so often happens in these circumstances Larne almost ‘bounced’ back immediately, when last year’s top scorer Mark Dickson, saw his thunderous shot brilliantly deflected onto the post by United keeper Willie McFrederick. For the next ten minutes United carved out a couple of good openings, but failed to trouble the Larne keeper. Firstly Sweeney came bursting through the middle, but lifted his shot from the edge of the box well over the Larne crossbar. Then McClean shot tamely into the side netting, when surely a cross was the better option. Then it was Simms turn to miss when he failed to make contact with Johnny Steele’s inswinging corner. Larne were under the cosh at this stage, but as is usual United couldn’t deliver the killer blow. After some good work by Steele and United veteran Boydie, the latter’s cross was headed ‘tamely’ into the keeper’s arms by Sweeney. With fifteen minutes remaining manager Wright took off Kelbie, bringing on McDowell in his place. I was surprised at this move as I thought Kevin was playing okay and holding the ball up for his forwards, but manager Wright obviously thought different. McDowell who keeps knocking the goals in for the reserves has yet to find his scoring touch in the senior side and for my money seems to lie a bit too deep, never up with the play. But he is a good passer and delivered a beautiful cross to Sweeney with five minutes remaining. Unfortunately no United forward seemed interested in getting to Sweeney’s cross and yet another chance went begging. United then had a let off when Gary Smyth and company went to sleep once more and a Larne player, completely and utterly unmarked in our six-yard box, headed over the bar when it looked easier to score. As United tried to play out time we had one of those bizarre incidents which seem to prove the point that footballers are utterly without brains. United substitute McDowell took the ball towards the corner flag, but lost possession with the ball being adjudged to have crossed the touchline for a Larne throw. McDowell then foolishly kicked the ball away, earning himself a booking in the process, an utterly needless caution. United duly held out for a win and three points and the less said about the manner of their achievement the better.

McFrederick          8     Sweeney           7          MoM:     Steele

Donaghy          8     Aiden Watson       7

Boydie           7     Steele                8

Haveron          7     Kelbie                7     Referee:     S. Weatherall          4

Simms               6     McClean           6

Smyth                7     1st Sub: McDowell 6