Dour Struggle!

I’m beginning to wonder if this United team is ever going to show its full potential, today they struggled against what can best be described as mediocre opposition. Donegal Celtic have a long way to go before they are a team to be reckoned with, yet United just managed a one nil win. They had at least three glorious chances to put the game beyond the visitors, but managed to miss all three and had to endure an anxious last five minutes plus 8 minutes stoppage time. The fact that they took the lead in the first half with a real nice bit of football, a lead that was to last the full ninety minutes, is all the more galling because of the dross served up thereafter. United manager Tommy Wright has introduced a third night’s training, but on the evidence of the last few weeks it’s having an adverse effect rather than a positive one on the United players. Today they appeared to be flatfooted and lethargic and if they’d been facing a decent team I believe they’d have got tanked. Donegal Celtic are to all intents and purposes still a junior club and United were glad of that today, I can tell you. It looked like it was going to be one of those days, United had at least 6 corners and never once put in a telling cross from any one of these. On almost every occasion the ball was either too close to the keeper, or failed to clear the first defender, a terrible indictment on the so called United dead ball experts. As has been well documented on Sky Blue Sport, our set pieces, corners, throw-ins and free kicks have to be seen to be believed, they are so crap. The United manager, as quoted in Sky Blue Sport, gave a thumbs up to last weeks starting eleven, which meant top scorer Kevin Kelbie, returning from a one match ban, only getting a place on the subs bench. This looked like a good decision when United took the lead after 26 minutes, with a delightful bit of football. Mark Picking took a pass from Lee Patrick down the right and found Fitzy with a neat cross, the former Glasgow Rangers apprentice, took the cross on his chest before firing through the legs of visiting keeper Declan Brown, for his first goal of the season. I thought to myself now the floodgates will open and we’ll give this team a real pasting, but of course I was far mistaken. United ‘huffed and puffed’ but were unable to break down the Celtic rearguard, ably marshalled by former ‘scum’ player, Packy McAllister. United had at least ten corners in the half and never looked like adding to their score and when halftime came it was almost a relief.

During the first 15 minutes of the second period, United seemed to retreat into their shell, but luckily the visitors (who brought a particularly poor crowd with them), were unable to take advantage of the situation. United missed another three gilt-edged chances in the 2^nd half, when the ball seemed to be diverted by accident or by a last ditch lunge by a defender, as it sped goalwards. The visitors got one real chance for an equaliser when a fiercely struck free kick rattled the United crossbar, with Murphy well beaten. At the other end Declan Brown made an acrobatic save from a Haveron free kick from 30 yards. Referee Keith Armstrong finally lost patience with McAllister and cautioned him and another Celtic player. He also cautioned United’s Gareth Scates who in my opinion continues to underperform. With 15 minutes remaining Fitzy went off with Kevin Kelbie taking his place and then as so often happens United were forced into making yet another change when youngster Randal Reid received a serious ankle injury and had to be carried off. The United manager, in his wisdom, brought on Stuarty King, with Mark Picking moving upfront with Kelbie. With time running out Aiden Watson replaced Picking and King was moved upfront where he could do little damage. Home keeper Paul Murphy was injured in a collision with a visiting forward and we had the ludicrous situation where he had to throw the ball into touch in order to get attention. Celtic in a sporting gesture threw the ball back to the United keeper (who said the spirit of Christmas was dead). Murphy then made a late save to keep the score at one nil, despite still limping after his injury. United held out for a second victory in a row and into 9^th position in the league, but they didn’t half make heavy weather of it!

P. Murphy 7 Patrick 6 MoM: P. Murphy

Callaghan 6 Reid 6

McClean 7 Fitzy 7

Scates 5 D. Murphy 6 Referee: K. Armstrong 4

Alb Watson 6 1^st Sub: Kelbie 5

Haveron 6 2^nd Sub: King 5

Picking 6 3^rd Sub: Aid Watson 5