Unlikely Hero!

Chatting to United fans before tonight’s match there was one thing we were in agreement about, Stuarty King just wasn’t doing it for us, how ironic that conversation turned out to be. As we thought the United manager said same again to the line-up that began last week, which meant no place in the team for top scorer Vinny Sweeney. Nigel Boyd cried off with a chest complaint, so Gordon Simms got his place on the bench. United started well and took the game to the Swifts on what looked like a ‘superb’ if somewhat bumpy playing surface. As is usual for United they created and missed two glorious chances, firstly Gary Smyth rose unchallenged to a King corner, before heading over the bar and then Paul Brown sent a back-header weakly into the keeper’s arms. The Swifts took the lead after 17 minutes with their first really meaningful attack and Willie McFrederick and his defence were totally to blame for this one. As a cross came in from the wing McFrederick stood ‘rooted’ to his goal-line and I joke not, the ball almost hit him it was that close to him. Winger Gerry Rowe failed to put in a meaningful tackle and when the ball was played into our box a Dungannon forward met it on the half-volley to put the Swifts one up. United then equalised more or less straight from the kick-off. Donaghy hit a ball over the Swifts defence and Stuarty King beat the keeper in a race for the ball and even though a Swift’s defender tried to clear his goalbound shot, he only succeeded in helping it into the net. United kept the home team under pressure for the rest of the half and their heavy tackles were aided and abetted by referee Frankie Hiles, who appeared to have no yellow cards with him. Despite winning numerous free kicks United couldn’t find the vital breakthrough and I thought as usual we might just regret those missed chances. We had a real let-off when from a left wing corner, McFrederick again watched the ball bounce inside his six-yard box and did nothing. Five minutes from halftime McFrederick was jostled as he attempted to catch a cross ball and referee Hiles allowed play to continue, but luckily for United a Swifts forward handled the ball and their goal survived. Then on the stroke of halftime, the United defence failed to put in a tackle as Dungannon mounted an attack and suddenly the ball was in the back of the net to put the home team 2-1 ahead at the interval.

At the start of the second period the Swifts went all out on attack in an attempt to make the match safe, but the United defence, ably marshalled by veteran Gary Smyth, held firm and McFrederick was rarely called upon, although I was glad to see United finally get their act together and go on the offensive themselves. During a spell of pressure from the 58th minute until the 70th United carved out several openings, but seemed unable or unwilling to take them. Gary Haveron had a dreadful miss when he volleyed wildly over the bar from 20 yards after Gary Smyth had laid off a corner to him. Then Smyth blasted a free kick from just outside the ‘D’ wide of the posts. But the worst miss of the night came in the 70th minute when new signing Paul Brown got on the end of Stuarty King’s delightful cross, but shot tamely at the home keeper. Referee Frankie Hiles finally got his pen working, cautioning the Swifts two central defenders for persistent fouling. Paul Brown was replaced by Vinny Sweeney after 72 minutes and four minutes later United got a deserved equaliser. After a Swifts attack broke down, Gerry Rowe found Kelbie and he in turn fed the ball to the alert Stuarty King. The United winger burst through on goal before calmly slotting the ball past the home keeper. Stuarty then ran about the pitch in a strange ‘celebratory ritual ’which hopefully we’ll see many more times. Despite mounting some more attacks United couldn’t find the necessary telling pass to unlock the home defence, while the home team had nothing in their armoury but long hopeful balls into the United goalmouth, with which United dealt fairly easily. As the referee blew the final whistle after one minute of stoppage time, I breathed a sigh of relief that we had secured a point. A win would’ve been great, no doubt about that, but I believe a draw keeps us right in there and leaves our fate in our own hands. If we can get a few good results strung together I think third place is still a possibility!

McFrederick               6          Rowe               6     MoM:     King

Donaghy               7          Scates               7          

McClean               6          Brown               6

Haveron               7          Kelbie               7       Referee:     F. Hiles          4

Albert Watson               7          King               8

Smyth                    7          1st Sub: Sweeney     7     

Jammy Jeffries!

Ballymena United came up against the mighty Linfield at Windsor Park today and predictably they lost, but by God they gave the unbeaten ‘Blues’ the fright of their life. Sky Blue fans were outnumbered about four to one and their team may have lost the football match, but they won the ‘shouting match’ hands down. United had as usual to play against fourteen men as referee Mark Courtenay and his two linesmen could only see decisions in favour of the home team and when anything controversial happened they pleaded ignorance. United as predicted in Sky Blue Sport (or should I say the all knowing Sky Blue Sport), gave a first full game to Paul Brown, started Scatesy in place of Charnock and even though the ‘Sport team didn’t believe it, Tommy Wright started Gerard Rowe wide right at the expense of top scorer Vinny Sweeney. Almost every time United mounted an attack referee Courtenay blew them up for a foul if there was any contact at all. But allowed the home team to get away with whatever tactics they chose to employ. Willie McFrederick saved his team when he pushed a Ferguson snap shot for a corner. The home team took an undeserved lead when Scates failed to close his man down and although McFrederick parried Ferguson’s shot, Tim Mouncey forced the ball over the goal-line. United didn’t allow their heads to drop but continued to play football, but Linfield were aided and abetted by a linesman who flagged the United forwards offside as and when the Linfield defence commanded it. United’s Stuart King was harshly booked when he challenged Linfield defender Murphy for a high ball, but then again that isn’t allowed at Windsor Park when playing Linfield. Two minutes later Linfield’s Glenn Ferguson went in ‘over the top’ on Kieran Donaghy and when the referee reluctantly gave the foul, Ferguson argued with the official, he in turn took no action against the player. On the stroke of halftime Paul Brown was fouled a good two yards inside the penalty box, but the referee gave the free outside the box. Although it wasn’t in his ideal spot, Gary Smyth hammered the ball into the net to deservedly bring United level. One minute later the referee blew for halftime.

In the second half United despite having the majority of the play were ‘mugged’ by Linfield when McFrederick was impeded as he went for a high cross, only for the ball to deflect off Gary Smyth over the goal-line as it was played back in  by the otherwise inept Peter Thompson, to put the home team 2-1 ahead. Worse was to follow when Ferguson was left unmarked to fire home from close range to seemingly put the match beyond United’s reach. Earlier in the half McFrederick had saved from former United player Oran Kearney when he looked likely to score. The United manager brought on Sweeney and Hamill for Haveron and King respectively and Sweeney missed a glorious chance to reduce the lead when he fired wide after a good one two with Hamill. With 8 minutes remaining United’s best player, Kevin Kelbie, fired just over the bar from a Hamill cross, when surely hitting the target was a must. With three minutes to go we had had a bizarre incident when Oran Kearney upended United’s Gerard Rowe and then went down feigning injury himself. The linesman who had a clear view of the incident claimed he saw nothing, I was left to wonder who looks after his ‘guide dog’ during the match. United finally conjured up a score in the 88th minute when Gerard Rowe wriggled through the hesitant Linfield defence, before slotting the ball into the net. United strove for the equaliser while the home team ‘wasted time’ and the referee took no action against them. In one incident after the ball had gone for a goalkick, home defender Murphy blatantly threw the ball away and referee Courtenay chided the Linfield goalie, when he should’ve cautioned Murphy.  I personally find that the caution for time wasting is the best deterrent, but the referee was too scared to use that method. We also saw the ‘sporting’ attitude of Linfield in the closing stages when their manager couldn’t manage to throw the ball into play when it was beside him, but pretended to not see it. It was possible he couldn’t see over his belly I suppose as he is not only a baldy ‘Love child’ now, he’s also a fat one too. United just failed to find the vital touch in the closing minutes but they had come close and can hold their heads high despite their defeat. After all it’s not every day you have to play against the ‘best’ team in the league and take on the three officials as well and it’s not every day you’re going to come up against a team of ‘jammy’ love children. I did want to use the other word there, but Sky Blue fans will know what I mean and I don’t want to come down to the level of Linfield and their followers. United can take a lot of heart from this game, as at the end of the day we are still just a team in the ‘making’, so exciting times are ahead, for once we make it, Linfield and the rest of the Irish league, had better look out!

McFrederick               7     Scates               7     MoM:          Kelbie

Donaghy               7     Brown               6

McClean               7     Kelbie               8

Haveron               7     King               7     Referee:      M. Courtenay          2

Albert Watson               7     1st Sub: Sweeney     7

Smyth                    8     2nd Sub: Hamill     7

Rowe                    7          

Mugger Malcolm!

United manager Tommy Wright, as predicted in Sky Blue Sport, brought in Phil Charnock for the injured Aiden Watson and also started Rory Hamill instead of Gareth Scates. His subs were Paul Brown, Scates and Rowe, which meant no place for the veteran Boydie. I and my colleagues at ‘Sport have been making the case for Boydie to be named on the bench for the last few weeks, but the United manager seems to have other ideas, this in my opinion came back to haunt him tonight. Distillery were a different team tonight as they took the game to United right from the kick-off and they took the lead after only 9 minutes. Midfielder Gary Haveron with time to clear the ball himself, chose to lay it off to left back McClean and he ‘dithered’ and allowed visiting number 8 Conor Hagan to rob him of the ball. Hagan strode towards the United box before drilling a shot from 18 yards across McFrederick’s body off the inside of the post and into the net. Maybe I’m being a bit harsh here, but I think the keeper should’ve got a touch to the ball, but he didn’t and we were one nil down. Even after this reverse United couldn’t seem to shake off their lethargy and Gary Smyth came to his side’s rescue when visiting striker Darren Armour threatened soon after. Gary Haveron, who had such a good game on Saturday, was all at sea tonight and Rory Hamill playing wide right was a virtual passenger. United’s first good move came when Charnock found King with a good pass, but Kelbie was unable to get to the winger’s cross. King was involved in United’s best move and when Kelbie burst into the visitor’s box, he was blatantly tripped, but referee Davey Malcolm waved play on saying that no contact was made. This was so ridiculous as there was no reason for Kelbie to go down, as he was about to ‘pull the trigger’ and he was clear through on goal, but ‘tiny testes’ waved aside United’s protests. But worse was to follow as the match neared halftime and Davey ruled out what appeared to be a perfectly executed United equaliser. Stuarty King took a pass wide on the left, but his attempted cross ricocheted off a Whites defender, young Craig McClean bounded after the ball as it neared the touchline, before crossing for Kelbie to hammer the ball into the net. The United fans rose as one, only to sit down in disbelief when the referee ruled the goal out, intimating that the ball was out of play before McClean crossed it. As neither the referee nor the Linesman were up with the play, it was hard to see how they could make this decision, but make they did.

The United manager took off top scorer Vinny Sweeney at halftime and brought on new signing Paul Brown and it has to be said United began with more urgency in the second period. The United fans who had been strangely quiet in the first half, suddenly found their voices and for fifteen minutes the home team laid siege to the visitor’s goal. Rory Hamill had a great run down the right, but his hard low cross eluded everybody. Then from a King corner the referee adjudged that the keeper was fouled when nobody touched him. United were keeping the Whites under the cosh at this stage, but as it so often happens in football, instead of them finding an equaliser it was the visitors who increased their lead. After winning a corner a Whites player hit a tremendous shot which cannoned off the post to safety, but with the United defenders still in shock the ball was played back in and visiting striker Darren Armour steered the ball into the net. United manager Tommy Wright’s decision was to take off Phil Charnock and bring on Gareth Scates. United went back on the offensive but couldn’t just find the vital telling pass to unlock the tight Whites defence. Distillery should’ve put the match beyond United, when after winning a free kick wide on the right, the home defence went asleep and they were indebted to their keeper for a good block to save the day. With 15 minutes to go Wright took off McClean and brought on Rowe and went into all out attack mode. Rowe almost made an instant impact when he found Rory Hamill unmarked in the box, but the Coleraine man seemed to be caught in two minds as to whether to shoot or trap the ball and in the end allowed it to go past him for a goalkick, a real howler of a miss. The breakthrough finally came when Brown scored his first goal for the club with a bullet header from a Scates corner. That was in the 82nd minutes and five minutes later the Whites keeper kept his team ahead with a fabulous save from Kelbie. The United striker had got on the end of a King cross and hit a near perfect shot, but the Distillery keeper was able to parry the ball and saved the day for his team. Try as United might they couldn’t conjure up an equaliser and all those missed chances from last Saturday did in the end come back to haunt them and so the wait for a trophy goes on. On this showing the United management team will have a mammoth task getting the team up for the visit to Windsor Park on Saturday, but one thing is surely apparent to them now, a half fit Brown, is loads better than a fully fit waster and we have plenty of them!

McFrederick          6          Hamill               5     MoM:     Kelbie

Donaghy          6          Sweeney          6

McClean          5          Kelbie               8

Haveron          5          King               7     Referee:      D. Malcolm     1

Albert Watson          7          1st Sub: Brown      7

Smyth               6          2nd Sub: Scates      7

Charnock          6          3rd Sub: Rowe          6

Goal Missing!

United manager Tommy Wright, or as the United fans familiarly call him, ‘Tommy Wright! Wright! Wright! Wright!’ said same again to the team that lost to Linfield in the County Antrim Shield final. Not only did he not change the team, he kept the same bench, which in my opinion leaves him with few options. Surely it’s time for a recall for the veteran Boydie, who can play either defence or midfield and new striker Paul Brown, who definitely gives us another option up front. Aiden Watson as it turned out actually injured himself during the ‘warm up’ and later told the manager he thought it was too late to change the team so close to kick-off so said nothing. Whether this is true or it was the more likely scenario of United’s wage policy, ‘no play, half pay’, we’ll probably never know, but it could’ve cost us dearly nonetheless. As it was United should and could’ve had this game over long before halftime, but again that old ‘malaise’ of missed chances came back to haunt us. The biggest culprit on this occasion, was also arguably our best player during the first 45 minutes, Larne man Gary Haveron. Gary quite easily might have scored a hat-trick in the first half and in my opinion proves the point time and again that he is playing out of position. During the first 20 minutes he directed two free headers wide of the target, when I have to say it looked easier to score. Then when he finally managed to get one on target, home keeper Phillip Matthews was equal to the task pushing his effort over the bar. Then he completely miskicked when attempting an ambitious volley, which if it had been on target would’ve been spectacular. Gary was not alone in the ‘miss’ department as Vinny Sweeney elected to pass when coming in from the left and then when Kelbie fed it back to him, drove the ball into the side netting. Kelbie who has been the United ‘talisman’ with his scoring exploits lately, was less effective on today’s showing and maybe he needs a wee break to recharge his batteries. The worst miss of the half for my money came when Stuarty King found himself unmarked in the centre of the home team’s penalty box and elected to hit his right foot shot to the keepers left and Matthews diverted it for a corner. I know some folks will think I’m being hard on Stuarty, as they’ll rightly point out that hadn’t Matthews saved his shot he would’ve scored, but I firmly believe that the keeper encouraged him to go for his left side, by leaving a bigger gap for him to aim at. Of course if Stuarty had gone for the tight side and the keeper saved his effort I would probably have blamed him for not taking the easier looking option, so maybe he couldn’t win anyway. Referee Davey Malcolm, whom I foolishly praised for his handling of the Shield semi-final between United and Larne, was back to his incompetent self and demonstrated this from virtually the first kick of the match. Home striker Darren Armour chased a pass into the box, which United keeper Willie McFrederick picked up only to be caught late by the Distillery striker. Referee Malcolm not only didn’t caution the striker, he made the United keeper throw the ball into touch in order to get treatment. The Whites defence under severe pressure throughout the remainder of the first period, continually fouled the United players but the referee took no action whatsoever and then of course cautioned United’s Aiden Watson for retaliation after he was fouled. This of course only proves the point that Davey is after all, ‘tiny testes’ and we can expect little else from him.

Aiden Watson didn’t come out for the second period, with Phil Charnock taking his place and metaphorically speaking the United team didn’t come out either. Of course they did contrive to look yet another ‘gift horse in the mouth’, when Sweeney fed the ball to Gareth Scates and the former Linfield man with the goal at his mercy, blasted the ball miles over the bar. This just about summed up Scates contribution on the day and surely the United manager must know by now that his talents are wasted wide on the right. Surely it’d be much better to play King on the right and Rosbotham on the left, although Scates does allow Kieran Donaghy the freedom to overlap and which he is doing more regularly. With the home team coming more into the game in the second period, the United defence were under a bit more pressure and Gary Smyth became the second player to be cautioned for a foul on Armour. The home team continued to have immunity from the referee as they didn’t allow United to play any flowing football. Midway through the half the United manager made his now predictable substitution, taking off Scates who was now starting to play a bit and bringing on Gerard Rowe. United seemed to be stuck in a rut at this stage and as the home team continued to gain a foothold in the match, I started to think that a replay was our best hope. The United defence held firm but the chances did come and McFrederick saved Gary Smyth’s blushes with a good block and then the whole defence went asleep at a corner but luckily the home attackers didn’t take advantage. The United manager took off top scorer Sweeney and brought on Rory Hamill, who more and more gives the impression of a man playing out his contract, as he contributes little or nothing to the team. Referee Malcolm did finally caution a home player for a foul, but it was too little, too late, in my opinion. United survived another scare when a shot from a Whites forward skidded off Donaghy’s shins and McFrederick again came to the rescue. United held out for a draw and had once more allowed victory to escape them and once more it has to be said it was a case of too many missed chances!

McFrederick 8 Aiden Watson 6 MoM: McFrederick

Donaghy 7 Sweeney 6

McClean 7 Kelbie 6

Haveron 7 King 6 Referee: D. Malcolm 3

Albert Watson 7 1st Sub: Charnock 6

Smyth 7 2nd Sub: Rowe 5

Scates 6 3rd Sub: Hamill 4

Willie Wilts!

As I have said all season we miss far too many chances and I’m always afraid we will pay the price for it and so it proved on Tuesday night at Seaview. United manager Tommy Wright, as forecast in Sky Blue Sport, stuck with the fourteen players who swept aside Armagh City the previous Saturday. I for one would’ve liked to have seen new signing Paul Brown at least make the bench. I’m all for loyalty, as I think it was a despicable act when the then United manager Jim Platt (sorry I had to mention that Coleraine ‘Love child’), dropped Paddy Mullan for the ’84 Irish cup final, in order to play his mate Michael Ring. But loyalty doesn’t always get the job done and we had a job to do on Tuesday night and we failed to do it. United as is their wont elected to play against the prevailing wind in the first half and I have never saw the ‘logic’ in this policy, as in my opinion you have expended 70% of your energy by halftime and even though it’s easier in the second half, you have less in reserve than your opponents. Added to this was the fact that the Count Antrim F.A. in their wisdom had appointed Michael Ross (it’s not a coincidence that Ross rhymes with dross I can tell you), as referee and I thought to myself we’re really up against it. This was almost confirmed to me when Linfield got off to a flyer prising open the United defence straight from the kick-off, but luckily McFrederick smothered the ‘feeble’ final shot. United took a long time to build an attacking move but when they did they missed a glorious chance. Aiden Watson’s persistence paid off and he played the ball to United’s top scorer Vinny Sweeney, who turned his marker quite easily and then shot hurriedly, screwing his shot well wide of the target. He could’ve taken two or three paces and shot as he was clear on goal and a goal then would’ve really have affected Linfield’s confidence. That chance came in the 25th minute and two minutes later Linfield’s top striker, Glenn Ferguson just failed to connect from ten yards out, a real let-off. Then United’s Gary Haveron, a tower of strength in midfield and helping his defence as well, made an excellent ‘blocking’ tackle on Linfield’s other in-form striker Peter Thompson. Vinny Sweeney then scored for United but the referee had already blown him up for offside. After 32 minutes Thompson headed over the bar, when finding himself unmarked inside the United box. With 33 minutes on the clock United fullback Kieran Donaghy chased a hopeful ball upfield and somehow managed to pass to Kevin Kelbie wide on the right. Kelbie, who is predominately left footed, jinked inside his marker on a diagonal run before firing low into the corner of the net, to bring the Sky Blue fans to their feet in appreciation. Linfield in true fashion were stung by this reverse and doubled their efforts to try and peg United back. They were aided and abetted in this by referee Ross who gave them almost every foul he cold think off, although he did rightly deny them two audacious appeals for penalties, one of which should’ve drawn a caution for diving. After allowing both teams central defenders to ‘come over the top’ to head the ball, he then gave a foul against United’s Gary Smyth for that offence, who protested his innocence, but to no avail. Linfield midfielder McAreevy, a free kick expert, curled his 25 yard free round the wall and United keeper McFrederick made a magnificent save, pushing it away for a corner. McFrederick then made a point blank save from the corner and referee Ross showed his true colours when as United tried to clear the ball Linfield’s Trevor Gault clearly handled the ball but the referee waved play on even though it fell to Linfield. Luckily they messed up on this occasion and United were able to get the ball out with the forceful Gary Haveron bringing it upfield. Trevor Gault was having none of this and ‘hacked’ the United man down, which should’ve warranted a yellow card, but the referee took no action. Former Linfield winger Stuarty King was having a good game and after good work up the left, set up United hit-man Vinny Sweeney but he once more failed to test the keeper, shooting wide of the posts. Despite their being two minutes of stoppage time United held out until halftime and we hoped they would for once come out fired up for the second half.

Alas nothing could’ve been farther from the truth and Linfield caught them cold as they kicked off, rushing in to block United’s infamous kick-off where Gary Haveron hoofs the ball downfield inevitably into touch. United were clearly upset and seemed to sink into their shell and I thought it’s only a matter of time before they score and unfortunately I was proved right. As the United defence pushed out the ball was played up to Ferguson, who nodded it on to former United player Oran Kearney, who appeared to be at least two yards offside. As the United players waited for the linesman’s flag, Kearney bore down on the United goal, while McFrederick stood rooted to his goal line and Kearney beat him easily from close range. The offside decision never came of course and Linfield had equalised. United to their credit didn’t lie down and in fact came right back at their opponents. They missed at least three glorious chances over the next 25 minutes and they were to prove costly, very costly indeed. Gary Haveron limped out of the match after 60 minutes with Phil Charnock taking his place, but as United were in attack mode his loss wasn’t felt too badly. Young Craig McClean playing in his first senior final made a brilliant run upfield, but instead of passing, fired wildly over the bar, an opportunity wasted. United’s first good chance came when Aiden Watson got on the end of a Kelbie flick from a King corner, only to head wide of the goals when it looked odds on that he would score, then Sweeney’s overhead kick was straight at the keeper, a foot either way and who knows. This was virtually Sweeney’s last action as in a strange move the United manager took him and Scatesy off, bringing on Rowe and Hamill. If he had taken Scatesy and Aiden Watson off I could’ve understood, but in my book you never take off your striker, at least not to replace him with a midfielder and Rowe and Hamill are despite reports to the contrary, both midfielders. Hamill, who has flattered to deceive, was not an asset on this occasion, while Rowe did show some nice touches, but was unable to provide a telling pass. United’s Gary Smyth picked up a booking from referee Ross, for a challenge nowhere near as ferocious as Gault’s earlier one, while United sub Phil Charnock was cautioned for a mistimed challenge. Ten minutes from the end Kevin Kelbie pounced on a sliced clearance from a Linfield defender and with nobody but the Linfield keeper to beat he smacked his shot against the crossbar. What a miss that was and it virtually signed the United death knoll. With six minutes remaining Linfield won a dubious free kick just outside the United area and Gary Smyth was caught flatfooted as Ferguson rose unchallenged to head the winner, with McFrederick, surprise! Surprise!, rooted to his goal line. I did say Ferguson rose unchallenged, but in fact in the end he didn’t have to rise as there was nobody within three yards of him, a dreadful defensive mix-up. There was no coming back for United after this and Linfield held on for victory. As I said at the beginning, missed chances have a habit of coming back to haunt you and on this occasion they surely did.


McFrederick               5          Aiden Watson          7     MoM:      King

Donaghy               7          Sweeney          7


McClean               6          Kelbie               8


Haveron               8          King               8     Referee:      M. Ross          1


Albert Watson               7          1st Sub: Charnock     6


Smyth                    6          2nd Sub: Hamill     5


King                    8          3rd Sub: Rowe          6          


            

Kelbi Delivers!

Kevin Kelbie maintained his hot goalscoring form with a brace against Armagh City today, in fact the Scotsman almost completed his hat-trick but his flick, was just gathered by Armagh keeper Paul Rice. United, with Albert Watson back in the starting line-up in place of Gordon Simms and the ‘rested’ Gareth Scates restored at the expense of Gerard Rowe, started somewhat slowly against the visitors. In fact despite some early pressure from the Sky Blues, it was the visitors who forced the first corner. Armagh it must be said have the worst looking away kit in the Irish league, to my mind it’s the colour of something resembling ‘vomit’ after a heavy night’s drinking, at least as far as I can remember that is. United midfielder Gary Haveron missed a glorious chance to put his team ahead after 18 minutes when he headed Stuart King’s in-swinging corner over the bar from six yards out. United Captain Gary Smyth had elected to attack the Fisherwick end in the first half, a break from tradition as the Sky Blues generally like to attack that end in the second half. United fans were beginning to think that was a mistake when they finally broke the deadlock. Vinny Sweeney took a pass from Aiden Watson on the halfway line and fed it into the path of his strike partner Kevin Kelbie. Kevin raced towards the visitor’s goal before, before driving a shot past Paul Rice for his ninth goal of the season. That goal came after 25 minutes and the home team should’ve drove home their advantage after this, but they let the visitors off the hook so to speak. From yet another King corner the ball was partially cleared and when the former Linfield man squared the ball once more, Gary Haveron could only find the side netting with another ‘free’ header. United in a somewhat more professional approach compared to last week, led capably by veteran Gary Smyth and Albert Watson, managed to keep the visitors at bay until halftime.

Five minutes into the second period Scates and Kelbie combined to put the match beyond Armagh’s reach. Scatesy ran onto a Donaghy throw in and after getting to the by-line found the unmarked Kelbie who hit a crisp left foot shot into the net for his tenth goal of the season. United manager Tommy Wright signalled his intentions immediately by sending his three subs to get warmed up in preparation for introducing them. Before this could take place Kelbie almost completed his hat-trick, when he ‘flicked’ an Aiden Watson pass goalwards, but former United keeper Paul Rice denied the burly striker, with a good catch. With 25 minutes gone the United manager, no doubt with Wednesday’s County Antrim Shield final in mind, took off Aiden Watson and Scates, bringing on Phil Charnock and Gerard Rowe. United looked a wee bit disjointed after this as Aiden Watson and Gary Haveron were for my money dominant in midfield and Charnock took some time to find his feet. Referee Robert Penney ‘bottled out’ when Kevin Kelbie took the ball round the Armagh keeper only to be hauled down on the left edge of the penalty box, he merely gave the keeper a yellow card when it should’ve merited a straight red. With 20 minutes left the United manager brought on Rory Hamill for Kevin Kelbie, who left the field to a standing ovation from the Sky Blue faithful and a much deserved standing ovation it must be said. United kept trying to increase their lead but allowed the visitors more of the ball, but with goalkeeper McFrederick in top form Armagh never came close to breaching the United line. With time ticking away Armagh brought on their final sub who got the second biggest cheer of the day (and rightly so it must be said), former United stalwart Mark Carlisle (Marco). Deep into injury time Rory Hamill and Rowe combined well out on the left and the ‘trialist’ lifted a perfect cross to the far post for United’s top scorer Vinny Sweeney to volley United’s third goal. This was Sweeney’s first goal for a full calendar month so maybe that’ll put him back into top scoring form for United’s tough five games which are coming up. A minute later the referee blew the final whistle and United had extended their unbeaten run to nine games and set up a ‘humdinger’ against Linfield next Wednesday night. Three points in the bag and a clean sheet to boot, but the next five weeks will really tell a tale and I’ll be there to tell it!

McFrederick 8 Aiden Watson 8 MoM: Kelbie

Donaghy 7 Sweeney 7

McClean 7 Kelbie 8

Haveron 8 King 7 Referee: R. Penney 4

Albert Watson 7 1st Sub: Rowe 7

Smyth 8 2nd Sub Charnock 7

Scates 7 3rd Sub: Hamill 7