First Blood!

How long is it since United began with a win in the league (personally I can’t remember) and for most of Saturday’s game I thought we weren’t getting anything out of this one at all. United manager Tommy Wright rested the out of form Lee Patrick and Austin Friel, bringing in Aiden Watson to partner Scatesy in centre midfield and restoring the fit again Boydie to leftback, therefore releasing Darren Murphy to the left side of midfield. United were caught napping after four minutes when referee Cargill adjudged that a foul had been committed just outside the penalty box. Gerard McMahon hit a sweet free kick behind the United back line and it was volleyed into the net by striker McConnell, who looked ‘suspiciously’ offside. The United fans stared in disbelief as the linesman failed to raise his flag, one of many gaffes by this official throughout the game. As United attempted to get back in the game Boydie was scythed to the ground by Glenavon number 2 McDonnell who was rightfully booked by the referee. Glenavon were attacking the Fisherwick end of the ground and were playing nice football, although they did appear to go to ground fairly easily when tackled. From yet another questionable free kick, striker McConnell was miles offside, unseen by the linesman, but luckily missed from a few yards out. Tragedy struck for United after 18 minutes when a cross from McMahon took a wicked deflection off Boydie and sneaked in at keeper Murphy’s near post, to put the visitors two up. Boydie was blameless for this ‘own’ goal, but being a United fan as well as a player, he was clearly annoyed about his part in it. Maybe this was why he joined in the United attack and after a nice one two with Darren Murphy burst into the visitor’s box past two Glenavon defenders. As he jinked past the last defender number 2, McDonnell, he was once more ‘scythed’ to the ground. Referee Cargill rightly pointed to the penalty spot, but then committed a major ‘gaffe’ by not sending the fullback off for his rash challenge and in my opinion lost the respect of both teams at this point. Up stepped United striker Kevin Kelbie and his left footed shot left keeper Rice helpless, but unfortunately cannoned off the post to safety, a real let-off for the visitors. At the other end United were indebted to keeper Murphy who beat out a goalbound shot to keep the score at 2-0. Two minutes later a poor clearance from their keeper fell to United’s Picking 30 yards from goal, but he blasted the ball over the bar with the keeper scrambling back. Just when it looked as if United were to be denied a goal, Boydie and Murphy combined down the left once more and when Murphy drove in a cross Scatesy directed a header past the visiting keeper to make the score 2-1. That goal came in the 35^th minute and the home team finished strongly but failed to trouble the visiting keeper, although they did have legitimate claims for another penalty when Paul Brown was pushed by Atiba Charles in the box. So when the referee brought the half to a close it was slightly more hopeful for the home fans than it had been after 20 minutes.

The first 20 minutes of the second half were quite forgettable as the visitors tried to turn the game into a dogfight, aided and abetted by referee Cargill, who went crazy with yellow cards. I can’t remember everyone who was booked but two did stand out for me. First United’s Aiden Watson was booked for a foul on number 6 Conor Walsh, who almost immediately retaliated with a foul on the United man. The referee seemed to be of the opinion that once he had cautioned someone, they then had ‘Carte Blanche’ to do as they pleased and this was perfectly epitomised by Walsh who continued to commit dangerous fouls during the rest of the game. United created one glorious chance ten minutes into the half, when a Boydie cross found Brown unmarked, but he headed feebly wide with the goal gaping. Was that our last chance gone I wondered and then watched as another jinking run by Boydie ended up with a weak shot into keeper Rice’s grateful arms. Little was seen of the visitors as an attacking force and they lost their momentum completely when McMahon limped off after a tussle with Murphy. Murphy was to have a big say in the game and indeed it was he who levelled the scores after 66 minutes. Taking a rare pass from Paul Brown, whose passing leaves a lot to be desired, the ex-Glenavon player seemed to have missed his chance as he was shepherded across the penalty box. But he had other ideas and he swivelled and drove a curling left foot shot into the top left corner of the net to level the scores. Five minutes later the United fans were on their feet when after another foul by Walsh, Murphy hit an inch perfect free kick for Kelbie to head United in front with his fourth goal of the season. Two minutes later after a Kelbie pile-driver had been parried by the keeper, the linesman blundered once more by flagging for offside when Paul Brown went after the rebound. How could he have been offside when he was onside when the shot was taken, it beggars belief. The United manager took off Darren Murphy bringing on Andy Rosbotham and there was little or no disruption to the United juggernaut. United scored a fourth goal after 77 minutes, when Scatesy found the overlapping Callaghan and when his shot was parried by keeper Rice, Mark picking was on hand to head his first goal for the club. Aiden Watson was then substituted by manager Wright, with Lee Patrick taking his place and the visitors brought on Paul McKnight in an attempt to get back into the game. Shortly afterwards McKnight was involved in one of those incidents which makes calls for a fourth official reviewing play seem like a good idea. As he and United defender Simms went for a ball the Glenavon player took a ‘dive’, screaming in agony. Referee Cargill was fooled and proceeded to caution the United man calling for the visiting Physio to come and treat the victim. But as soon as the player realised he had won the free kick he got up and walked away completely unscathed having fooled the official completely. With 5 minutes left manager Wright took off Picking and brought on Friel. Friel then ran at the Glenavon defence constantly and when he burst through on one occasion he was hauled to the ground by the last defender Brian Mallon. Referee Cargill on this occasion stuck to the letter of the law and rightly sent the fullback off. Andy Rosbotham’s free kick clipped off the Glenavon ‘wall’ and was cleared. Kevin Kelbie almost made it five in stoppage time when Paul Brown unselfishly passed to his fellow striker, but Paul Rice pushed his fierce shot round the post for a corner. Atiba Charles, who had fouled constantly throughout the game, at last found the referee’s notebook for a headlock on Kelbie as United mounted a final attack. United had for once delivered the goods and sent their fans home happy, but it had been a rollercoaster ride, but it was ‘bloody’ exciting!

P. Murphy 7 Aid Watson 8 MoM: D. Murphy

Callaghan 7 Brown 6

Boydie 7 Kelbie 7

Scatesy 8 D. Murphy 8 Referee H. Cargill 2

Alb Watson 7 1^st Sub: Rosbotham 7

Simms 7 2^nd Sub: Patrick 6

Picking 7 3^rd Sub: Friel 7

Sunny Skys!

As if it was preordained, Ballymena and Limavady trotted out at the Showgrounds to one of the smallest home crowds, but served up a goal feast, on a day more suited to summer pastimes. The Warden Street venue was bathed in sunshine and the visitors with former United hitman Vinny Sweeney partnering Stephen Parkhorse up front, let the home team know they had no intention of merely making up the numbers. Ballymena took the field with only 13 fit first team panel members and with no cover at left-back, which meant Darren Murphy filling in at the number 3 position and Austin Friel taking Murphy’s spot in left midfield. United took the lead after 12 minutes when Paul Brown headed a Friel corner into the net with the keeper stranded. Limavady were level after 19 minutes when their best player, Ryan Semple, swept past Darren Murphy, before Parkhorse got a touch to his driven cross. The linesman at that end of the ground had already ‘missed’ a couple of blatant offsides and United were indebted to their keeper Paul Murphy when he saved point blank from Sweeney, who was miles offside, but undetected by the linesman. Kevin Kelbie put the home team ahead when he beat the visiting keeper to the ball to head into the net after 30 minutes. This lead was short-lived as after some nice dribbling by Semple, the visitors levelled once more when United failed to clear the danger in the 35^th minute. Worse was to follow 3 minutes later when Semple clearly ‘dived’ at the edge of the United box and referee Frankie Hiles gave a free kick. The visitors left-back, Cutmore, drilled a low shot past Murphy who probably didn’t see the ball until it was too late. The linesman at that end of the ground finally woke from his slumbers and raised his flag close to halftime when Sweeney once more strayed into an offside position.

Before the start of the second-half United manager Tommy Wright took off the ineffective Friel and brought on Andy Rosbotham, which gave the home side a better shape in my opinion. Andy is also a ‘dab hand’ with dead ball kicks and United put the visitors defence under a bit more pressure. The linesman at that end of the ground was making up for lost time in the first half, as he seemed to constantly flag United forwards in general and Kevin Kelbie in particular offside at every opportunity. The visiting keeper was cautioned for persistent time wasting and I have to say he got on with the game after that. The home team to their credit kept plugging away, but it was hard to see where their equaliser was going to come from. Gareth Scates in midfield was having one of his best games and kept prompting his forwards to better things. With 69 minutes gone United won a free kick near their opponents by-line and when Rosbotham swung over a deep cross, Kelbie once more rose above the visiting keeper to level the scores. The home team were in the ascendancy now and a win looked on the cards, although manager Wright took off winger Picking and brought on Dominic Melly, not the positive move we were looking for. Surely it’d have been better to have taken off Lee Patrick who had been a virtual passenger throughout the game, rather than lose the probing runs of Picking. United looked to have snatched the winner five minutes from time when after a Rosbotham corner had been cleared, Scates fired it back in over the visitors defence and Paul Brown ghosted into space, headed across goal for Kelbie to head home. But alas the linesman stuck his flag up, which just added insult to injury in my opinion. The United strikers had timed their runs to perfection, so couldn’t be offside and surely the referee should’ve seen that, but of course the decision stood. Despite some more pressure from both teams the game ended all square, which means United finish bottom of the group, a poor, poor, result, but they at least keep their 3 match unbeaten run intact, which is scant consolation for such a pathetic C.I.S. cup campaign. With the league starting next week there’ll be no hiding places for the Sky Blues from now on, the time has come now for action and we had better get it, or heads will roll!

P. Murphy 6 Patrick 5 MoM: Kelbie

Callaghan 6 Brown 7

D. Murphy 6 Kelbie 8

Scates 7 Friel 5 Referee: F. Hiles 4

Simms 7 1^st Sub: Rosbotham 7

Watson 6 2^nd Sub: Melly 6

Picking 7

Gone Cruising!

It seems to me that when the chips are down, our wee team goes missing. Yesterday’s game at Seaview was no exception, with the scores tied at one apiece, United had a glorious chance to take all three points, but Lee Patrick’s shot came off the crossbar and five minutes later the United defence went to sleep and allowed the Crues to take all three points and push United into bottom place in the group table. With Aaron Callaghan coming back into the team at right-back, it meant a reshuffle for the United back four, with Gary Haveron being pushed into central midfield alongside Lee Patrick. Scatesy moved to the wing and Friel was preferred up front alongside Kevin Kelbie. After early pressure from the Crues it was United who began to exert the pressure and they were rewarded with a goal in the 20th minute, when Kelbie set up Scatesy for his first goal of the season. United spurned a glorious chance to increase their lead when after Kelbie had split the home defence to find Friel, the wee man allowed a home defender to catch him up with Kelbie waiting for the cross that never came. Referee Steven Weatherall, allowed the ‘Hatchet men’ to get away with some ‘wild’ tackles, but what can one expect when playing a Belfast team. Then as if to compound matters he and his linesman allowed a Crusaders equaliser to stand when the veteran Raymond Campbell was clearly off-side when he dispatched a cross into the United net. This goal came ten minutes before halftime and to say it knocked the ‘stuffing’ out of the visitors, would be to put it mildly. The home team probably should’ve gone in ahead at halftime, but Albert Watson was on hand to make a goal-line clearance with keeper Paul Murphy beaten.

United leftback Boydie didn’t come out for the second-half, whether injured or not I couldn’t say, but Gary Haveron was switched to leftback, with Mark Picking coming on as sub. This also meant Scates switching to the centre midfield, to allow Picking to take up his customary wide right position. United seemed to lose their way completely after this, with the loss of Haveron in midfield they never seemed to get into the game in the second half. Picking was a total disappointment also in the second half and he looks like a typical Linfield reject, well past ‘his sell by date’ (no doubt he’ll make me eat my words in the coming weeks, I hope), and gave a very poor display. The match looked like it was petering out for a draw and this was verified when manager Wright took off Friel, with Fitzy taking his place, which intimated to me that he was more concerned about protecting the draw than going for the win. Admittedly a draw would have kept us in with an outside chance of qualification, but in my opinion winning becomes a habit and it’s a habit we need to develop and soon. With ten minutes remaining he made an even worse decision taking off Kelbie and bringing on Brown, when surely he needed all his strikers on, for a final onslaught. It would’ve been much better to have lost the game, going for a win than holding out for a point. Having said that it almost worked in his favour, when with 8 minutes remaining, Patrick crashed a shot against the crossbar. Five minutes later United were put out of their misery when after keeper Murphy could only parry a shot, home striker Davey Larmour was on hand to force the ball over the line and give the home team all three points. As if this wasn’t bad enough, United keeper Murphy and Haveron collided and Haveron was carried off, which makes him a major doubt for the start of the league campaign in two weeks time. This renders United’s remaining game at home to Limavady next week purely academic and the clubs decision to switch the fixture to Limavady first time round has backfired on them quite badly. Surely it would’ve been much better to have had that fixture at home in front of a reduced support, but giving themselves every chance to be in the knock-out stages of the C.I.S. cup, instead of  being an also-ran, once again.


P. Murphy            6          Patrick               6     MoM:       Scates

Callaghan          6          Friel               5

Boydie               6          Kelbie               6

Haveron          6          D. Murphy          6     Referee:     S. Weatherall      3

Simms               6          1st Sub: Picking     5

Alb. Watson          6          2nd Sub: Fitzy          6

Scates               6          3rd Sub: Brown     6                                                       

United Stand!

I was going to say that United ‘surged’ to their first win of the season tonight, beating Portadown one nil in front of a smallish crowd of supporters. But it would be more accurate to say they crawled over the line, as they pulled a win from the jaws of a draw with an 84th minute goal. United began the match with Albert Watson, Gordon Simms, Gary Haveron and Boydie as the back four. With Aiden Watson carrying a leg injury, Scates was promoted to partner Lee Patrick in midfield, with Friel on the right and Darren Murphy on the left. Paul Brown got the nod to partner Kelbie up front, leaving, Fitzy, Picking and McClean on the bench. United got off to the worst possible start, when Simms had to leave the field after a head butting incident, which referee David Best saw as accidental, with blood streaming from his nose. The United central defender was off the field for a good 8 minutes and United defended ‘gamely’ as the Ports put them under some pressure. Even when big Gordon returned, it was plain to see that he was not 100%, but he struggled on. The linesman at the Fisherwick end of the ground which the home team was defending, missed at least two blatant offsides and I was little concerned to put it mildly. Despite the visitors forcing several corners, the United defence held firm and they even managed to force a couple of corners themselves. Boydie at left back and Darren Murphy performed well for the home team down the left flank as the half wore on. Midway through the half Gareth Scates went in late on a tackle and was harshly booked by the Belfast official. Despite Portadown’s pressure I can only remember them creating one worthwhile chance, when McCutcheon shot wide with the United defence spread-eagled, a real let-off.

The second half was almost a carbon copy of the first and manager Ronnie McFall played his ‘ace card’ ten minutes into the second half, bringing on Mickey Collins to bolster his midfield. Ten minutes later United manager Tommy Wright took off Brown and Friel and brought on Fitzy and Picking. This move seemed to give United a bit of a lift and they began to take the game to the visitors. An incident occurred right under the referee’s gaze when Ports player Kennedy lashed out at Mark Picking. This was a serious offence but the referee ‘chickened’ out and only cautioned the culprit. As the ball rolled into touch two minutes later, a United ballboy threw it back and Ports sub Mickey Collins cynically headed it away in a blatant display of time-wasting, which the referee largely ignored. United were a constant thorn in the visitors side at this stage and manager McFall threw on both his subs to try and turn the game around. But it was the Sky Blues who were dictating the tempo of the game now and this was typified by commitment of Boydie at left-back as he overlapped in support of the home attack. United won a throw adjacent to the visitor’s penalty box and Boydie found Kelbie with a quick throw. The United striker cut in from the by-line before delivering an inch perfect pass which, Lee Patrick hammered into the net from 6 yards. That goal came in the 85th minute and United thought they had doubled their lead two minutes later, when Kelbie sprinted up the left wing again, before crossing for Patrick to hammer a bicycle kick across the goal where, where Fitzy hammered it home. Alas the linesman’s flag for offside ruled this one out, yet another dodgy decision from the official. Portadown were now going into all out attack mode but the United defence ably marshalled by Gary Haveron held firm. In a rare United attack the linesman once more flagged for an offside when the United player, Fitzy, was at worst level with the Ports fullback. We then witnessed one of the most bizarre incidents ever seen in any football ground, when goalkeeper Dougherty grabbed the ball from the United ballboy and hurled the youngster to the ground. Referee Best, to his credit, sent the visiting keeper off and he had to take the ‘walk of shame’ across to the dressing rooms. Despite the referee finding 5 minutes of stoppage time United held out for a good victory and then as the players left the field the Coleraine ‘Scum Bag’, Barry Hunter, punched United assistant manager Jim Grattan, who had to be restrained by the United stewards. There also seemed to be scuffles in the tunnels, no doubt we haven’t heard the last of these incidents. But the main thing at the end of the day is that United won and kept alive their hopes of progressing to the C.I.S. cup knock-out stages.


P. Murphy          6          Scates               5     MoM:     Haveron

Alb Watson          5          Brown               5

Boydie               7          Kelbie               6

Patrick               7          D. Murphy           7     Referee:   D. Best     3

Simms               6          1st Sub: Picking     6

Haveron          7          2nd Sub: Fitzy          6

Friel               6          3rd Sub: McClean     6