Gaffer Gaffes!

United manager Tommy Wright handed three easy points to Glentoran in the final home game of the season, with a very poor display of team management. Yes I lay the blame for our heaviest home defeat firmly at the manager’s door. Firstly he committed the major gaffe of not giving Rory Hamill a place in the starting line-up, sticking instead with the out of form Paul Brown. Brown has not looked fit since signing at the transfer window and surely with two games left to play he should’ve at least been left on the bench, or maybe even left out altogether, giving young reserve striker Randall Reid a place on the bench. Hamill has shown of late that he is coming back to his best and after his wonder strike on Easter Tuesday at Lurgan, he surely warranted a start. But no our manager didn’t think so and the one other change he made was bringing Scatesy on to partner Haveron in midfield, with Sweeney moving onto the wing. United as is their wont elected to face the elements in the first half and even though they were under the cosh for a long time they still held the Glens at bay. Mark Glendenning upset Vinny Sweeney with a two- footed tackle and when the referee took no action Sweeney then tangled with Gary Browne, who lifted his hands, but referee Carville took no action. As the resultant throw-in was being taken, Sweeney foolishly kicked out at Glendenning after being pushed by the Glens defender and the referee cautioned both players. United manager Tommy Wright then committed his second gaffe of the afternoon, when he didn’t at least switch Sweeney away from the right wing or substitute him, as it was easy to see he had ‘lost it’. Sure enough in the 38th minute Browne went in late on the United number 7 and when the referee ignored the challenge Sweeney lashed out at Browne and promptly drew another booking which got him sent off. The home crowd applauded Sweeney off the pitch but I was in no mood to be so charitable, as I knew it would cost us dearly. As is often the case when a team goes down to ten men United actually played fairly well over the rest of the half, with Kelbie switching to the left wing and Stuarty King going to the right leaving Paul Brown to plough a lone furrow up front. Brown just failed in fact to get any power into a header from a Kelbie cross United’s best chance of the half as the match reached halftime.

During the interval the United manager committed his third gaffe when he reverted back to having Kelbie upfront with Brown leaving United’s midfield overstretched. I just knew it was a matter of when the Glens scored and then it would be all over and I didn’t have long to wait. Now I have talked long and hard all season but the ‘childish’ defending exhibited by this United team, but the Glens first goal yesterday was really the worst example yet. It appeared to be a mis-hit corner as the ball was played all along the ground to the edge of the box and while the United defenders looked on, the ball was rolled into the six-yard box and still our defenders stood by and watched as Nixon of Glentoran forced the ball over the goal-line. That was the end of the line for United and the defence just went completely to sleep after this, the one exception being Albert Watson. Gary Smyth and Gordon Simms were really useless and it was a miracle that they only shipped another three goals, which I won’t embarrass our defenders anymore by describing. Needless to say it was probably the easiest goals the Glens have scored this season. Referee Carville was in a benevolent mood as regards the visitors, for when Glendenning clearly elbowed Kelbie he merely said to him to not do that again, instead of issuing the mandatory yellow card. Tommy Wright rung his usual changes bringing on Hamill for Brown, which made no difference and Donaghy and Rowe for Scates and Haveron. But United were incapable of mounting a serious challenge and they closest they came was when Stuarty King’s wasted free kick went straight through to Glens keeper Elliot Morris. What a disgraceful display by United in their last game before a disappointing home crowd and a meagre visiting support. United are now in danger of having the unenviable record of conceding 50 goals in the season, a damming indictment of their slipshod defending as they approach their last game. By a strange quirk United’s premier supporters club (Seven Towers), gave their annual Player of the year award, not to United’s top scorer (15 goals in 29 games), Kevin Kelbie, but to centre-half and Captain Gary Smyth who with his co-defenders have let in more than three times as many goals as Kelbie has scored. The logic of their choice eludes me, Kelbie for me has been the only real positive thing that’s happened this season and I just hope we can give him a reason to stay with us until this time next year and beyond!

Addis               6          Scates               5     MoM:  Albert Watson

Albert Watson          7          Brown               5

Boydie               6          Kelbie               7

Haveron          5          King               5     Referee:     H. Carville     2     

Simms               4          1st Sub: Hamill     5

Smyth               4          2nd Sub: Rowe          5

Sweeney          3          3rd Sub: Donaghy     5