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