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