Seventh Heaven!

After the frustration of losing to Linfield last week, when the match turned after a horrendous decision by referee Adrian McCourt, who awarded the visitors a penalty when no contact was made, it was vital for United to get three points at home to Dungannon Swifts today. United manager Tommy Wright made two changes to his midfield, bringing in young Andy Rosbotham on the left side in place of the injured Stuart King and putting Gareth Scates on in a wide right position, which meant a place on the bench for Gary Haveron, the rest of the team kept their places. United took a somewhat surprise lead after nine minutes, when Swifts central defender, Gary Fitzpatrick, just back from injury, gave away a needless corner with a misplaced back pass to keeper Stuart Addis. Andy Rosbotham swung the ‘inswinger’ in with his left boot and United captain Gary Smyth met it perfectly with his head to power the ball into the net. The lead lasted barely three minutes, after the visitors won a corner on their left. The ball was swung over to the far post and with keeper McFrederick rooted to his goal-line, Fitzpatrick’s downward header back, was adjudged to have crossed the goal-line, with the United defenders flatfooted. The Sky Blues were in tatters after this and McFrederick made a good save soon after, as the visitors stepped up the pace. In a rare United breakaway, striker Rory Hamill eluded his marker and shot goalwards, Addis could only parry the ball which fell to Rosbotham and he hammered it into the net from twelve yards nutmegging Swifts number 22 Kevin Keegan in the process, to restore United’s 2-1 advantage. That was in the 19th minute and three minutes later we had a brawl involving most of the players from both teams. Referee Michael Ross failed to take control of this situation, but two minutes later was forced to book Keegan after a heavy challenge on United’s Rory Hamill. After thirty minutes he also cautioned United player Aiden Watson for a heavy challenge and at this stage the match was in danger of spiralling out of control. The home team tightened up their defence and managed to hold their lead till halftime. As the teams left the field there was a scuffle in the tunnel, involving the Swifts assistant manager, who had attempted to incite the home crowd.

United were caught cold two minutes after the break when a Dungannon forward rose unchallenged to level the scores at two apiece. United tried to claw their way back into the game but were frustrated by the hard tackling visiting team. Young left back Craig McClean attempted to show his forwards how, with a lone dribble from his own box to the oppositions but found he had nobody to pass to and the chance was lost. United’s central defender Albert Watson went down injured and when the ball went dead, play was held up while he received treatment. When Albert left the field as is the rule now, United failed to reorganise their defence and this led to the Swifts taking the lead. From the throw-in the ball was cleared to the left wing and Gary Smyth came out to close the winger down with the result that when the cross came in, an unmarked forward had the easy task of heading past McFrederick. This goal came 19 minutes into the second half and I wondered if United could get back into the game. The answer came almost immediately, when we won another corner on the left. When this ball was swung in by Rosbotham, it was cleared for another corner on the right. Rosbotham took this corner also and set it perfectly on midfielder Phil Charnock’s head and he gave Addis no chance from 8 yards out, to level the scores at 3-3. That goal came in the 66th minute and United began probing at the Swifts defence in search of the winner. After a neat bit of interplay involving half a dozen passes, young Rosbotham flicked the ball into Rory Hamill’s path. The United striker swivelled round and unleashed a piledriver from 20 yards to beat Addis all ends up and put United 4-3 ahead. After this goal United manager Wright rang the changes, first replacing Aiden Watson with Gary Haveron and then 5minutes later taking off young Rosbotham and bringing on veteran Boydie. With five minutes remaining and United still stretching the visitors defence, the United manager took off Rory Hamill to tumultuous applause, bringing on Paul McDowell. Referee Ross only found two minutes of added time and United had got back to winning ways, in what can only be described, as a seven goal thriller!  

McFrederick          6          Hamill               8     MoM:   Hamill

Collier               7          Charnock          8

McClean          7          Sweeney          7

Aiden Watson           6          Rosbotham          8     Referee:     M. Ross          3     

Albert Watson          7          1st Sub: Haveron     7

Smyth               8          2nd Sub: Boydie     7

Scates               7          3rd Sub: McDowell     7