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