Last Blast!

For the last match of the season, United manager Tommy Wright gave in my mind an indication of his thinking for next season, with the omission of goalkeeper Willie McFrederick, keeping (if you’ll pardon my unintended pun), Stuart Addis in goals. I’m not saying here that he rates Addis as his first choice, but I think McFrederick will be looking for another club during the summer break. With Gary Smyth, Craig McClean and Boydie all injured he recalled Kieran Donaghy at leftback, retaining Albert Watson at rightback. He also brought the fit again Aiden Watson back into centre midfield alongside Gareth Scates, releasing Gary Haveron to form a central defensive partnership with Gordon Simms. Stuart King retained his wide left position; Gerard Rowe played what was likely to be his last game as a Sky Blue wide right, while Rory Hamill started upfront alongside top scorer Kevin Kelbie. The United travelling support did their best to inject some enthusiasm into the occasion as they turned up in ‘fancy dress’, grass skirts and bikini tops etc, while the girls were well kitted out also. Unfortunately there was little to cheer on the pitch for the fans in the first half, with United, despite forcing several corners, giving a fairly lack-lustre display. Stuarty King picked up a booking for a foul on Institute midfielder Tommy McCallion after 5 minutes, from referee Davey Malcolm, who later on showed his inconsistency by allowing McCallion to get away without a caution when he late tackled United keeper Stuart Addis. (The fact that McCallion is a Glentoran old boy and Davey a committed Glens fan I’m sure had no bearing on his decision). Institute could and definitely should’ve, taken the lead in the first half, missing at least three clear cut opportunities. For a team trying to avoid the dreaded relegation play-off, these were bad misses indeed. Firstly the ‘benevolent’ United defenders were caught waiting for an offside flag which never came, but luckily the shot went wide of the advancing Addis and wide of his goal. Then Gordon Simms was caught napping but once again the shot went wide of the United posts with myself and the United fans holding our collective breaths. But Institute committed an even worse gaffe when after bursting through between Simms and Haveron, their number 9, hit the ball past the advancing Addis, but somehow missed the target also. In fact the highlight of the first half from a United point of view had very little to do with the football at all. It came when ‘Stute manager, Liam Becket kicked a ball from his dugout towards United’s Kieran Donaghy who was waiting to take a throw-in, but unfortunately missed him by twenty yards or so. A United fan called to Liam saying, ‘Hey Liam I see you’re as accurate as ever’, Liam simply replied, ‘You never lose it, do you?’ That was as good as it got for us during the first half and I was glad when the halftime whistle sounded.

There was a further disappointment for me at halftime when the burger van ran out of burgers and I was unable to avail my self of a ‘Stute’ deal, a burger and a coke for £1-50, allegedly. United came out for the second-half with a lot more purpose and drive, taking the game to Institute but still unable to get that telling pass that would unlock the home defence. United’s ineptitude was summed up for me when with 15 minutes or so left they won a free kick just outside and to the left of the home penalty area. Stuarty King who takes most United free kicks, without success it must be stressed, lined up alongside Gerard Rowe, with Rory Hamill there also. King rolled the ball to Rowe, who ‘teed’ it up for Hamill who blasted the ball straight into the home ‘wall’, a complete waste in my opinion. One of the highlights for me was the display in midfield of the diminutive Aiden Watson, who seemed to be always available and continually prompted his forwards. But even he should’ve done better when after a good run he hit a weak shot into the grateful arms of the home keeper. With 12 minutes left united manager Tommy Wright made a positive move, taking off Rowe and bringing on Paul Brown, with Hamill switching to right midfield. Five minutes after the substitution, Hamill fed Kelbie wide on the right and as he cut inside he ‘greedily’ shot for goal, blasting wildly over the bar with Paul Brown and King both unmarked. Two minutes later King skipped down the wing before putting over a pathetic cross and a United fan encouraged the United manager to get that ‘waster’ off and get Andy Rosbotham on, for at least could cross the ball. Whether the United manager took this on board I can’t say, but he did take King off bringing on Rosbotham. Andy did manage one or two runs up the field, but made little difference and as so often happens in these cases it was Institute who were given a good opening near the finish. Gordon Simms, despite his protests, was adjudged to have fouled an Institute forward on the edge of his own penalty box. From the resultant free kick Stuart Addis stopped the ball with a good save. Two minutes prior to this incident United had been indebted to Simms, when he somehow managed to ‘hook’ the ball to safety when a home forward looked to be clear on goal. Paul Brown was struggling to make an impact, but managed to get his head to a Hamill cross but didn’t really trouble the home keeper. United finally managed to break the deadlock and Institute hearts when after good work by Aiden Watson and Hamill the latter found Paul Brown, who hooked the ball wide for Kelbie to out-sprint his marker. The young Scotsman, showing maturity beyond his years looked up and seeing the home keeper off his line, coolly chipped him to give United victory by the only goal. The United bench erupted with manger Tommy Wright and his assistant Jim Grattan, dancing a jig, while Stuart King sprayed the United fans with some sort of liquid, probably Lucozade Sport, or was it champagne? Kevin Kelbie celebrated his sixteenth goal of the season by removing his shirt and picked up a booking in the process (a stupid rule in my opinion), a booking which will probably mean him missing two games at the start of next season. But let’s take nothing away from the young man, who in my opinion and my colleagues at Sky Blue Sport, has been our best player all season, Kevin Kelbie has been a real revelation. Even when he’s not at his best, he still keeps trying and you can never discount him. If big Tam can get a couple of good midfielders in the close season and a rightback, maybe with Kelbie, Paul Brown and the fit again Fitzyupfront, we can be a force to be reckoned with. Oh yes I nearly forgot, he definitely needs a goalkeeper, we’ve known that all season and even though we did actually finish joint sixth in the league, with our inferior goals against column, we’re officially seventh. It’s an improvement on last season, up one place, almost two, but a lot more will be expected next term. So boys, have a good rest over the close season, as next season you’ll need to pull out all the stops and lets try and win something this time, it really is, 'long', overdue!



Addis 7 Hamill 7 MoM: Aiden Watson

Al Watson 6 Rowe 6

Donaghy 6 Kelbie 7

Haveron 6 King 6 Referee: D. Malcolm 3

Simms 7 1st Sub: Brown 6

Ad Watson 8 2nd Sub: Rosbotham 6

Scates 6