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