Maestro Murphy!

Ballymena made the short trip over Shane’s Hill tonight and in the process notched their first away win of the season. A classic it was not, but it was a thoroughly deserved victory for the Sky Blues, one that moved them up to tenth in the league table. As predicted in Sky Blue Sports news, manger Wright brought in, Craig McClean, Lee Patrick and Randal Reid, for the suspended Kevin Kelbie, injured Boydie and the rested Aiden Watson. Austen Friel, who has missed the last three games, won a place on the bench, beside Stuarty King and Aiden Watson. United started brightly but failed to get a really telling move to unlock the stubborn Larne defence. The home team on the other hand, playing up the ‘slope’, gave the United defence a few headaches and Gary Haveron was relieved to see a too short back-header to his keeper, hooked past the post by a home attacker. Gareth Scates tried his luck with two long range shots, but failed to seriously trouble McKean, in the Larne goal. The referee allowed the home team to get away with a couple of robust tackles and then booked young Craig McClean for his first foul after 36 minutes. Scatesy saw yet another close range shot spilled by the keeper, who then blocked Fitzy’s rebound from close range which missed the target. But United weren’t to be denied and they took the lead on the stroke of half-time. Gary Haveron played a long clearance to Darren Murphy, who a minute early had made a ‘complete Horlicks’ of a free kick, this time the Portadown man fired in a beauty of a cross and Randal Reid rose majestically to give home keeper McKean no chance with a precise header. Some of the players congratulated Gary Haveron for his part in the move, but I think he’d be the first to admit it was more down to luck than skill. Still it gave United the lead going in at halftime and I had high hopes for the second half.

United took a wee while to settle at the start of the second period, but when they did they produced the move of the game. Aaron Callaghan went on a great run from inside his own half leaving four players trailing in his wake, exchanged a wall pass with Fitzy, before setting in on a plate for big Randal Reid. The young striker attempted to side-foot the ball home, but somehow missed the target completely. What a let-off for the home team and I was a little worried that we’d pay for letting this chance go abegging. Larne attempted to pile on the pressure, but the United defence and keeper Paul Murphy held firm. Murphy did drop the ball once when challenged unfairly, but luckily it was scrambled for a corner. Fitzy then had a great chance to wrap up the points, but delayed his shot before being hauled down by a Larne defender. To the utter amazement of the Sky Blue fans, referee Ball waved play on, telling the ex-Glasgow Rangers player, that he had dived. United were forced to make a substitution with about 15 minutes left, when Darren Murphy limped off with cramp, with Stuarty King taking his place. Three Larne players and two United ones, Fitzy and Scates received yellow cards, Fitzy for dissent and Scatesy for a blatant trip. With five minutes left the United manager brought on Austen Friel for Fitzy and by this time Larne were just pumping aimless balls into the United penalty area. Friel missed a glorious chance to seal the points, when he sprinted clear of the home defence, but instead of going straight for goal he delayed his shot and when he did finally get it off, home keeper McKean saved at the second attempt. With the game deep into injury time we witnessed one of those bizarre incidents that give the local game its bad publicity. Larne’s keeper was about to take a free kick, when Tommy Wright decided to take off, Mark Picking and bring on Aiden Watson. Everybody in the ground knew this except referee Ball and he was busy shouting at the Larne keeper to get on with it and waving play on. Finally the penny dropped and United were able to use their final sub and despite a panicky final two minutes they held out for a deserved victory. We had at last got back to winning ways, but boy we made ourselves sweat!

P. Murphy 7 Patrick 7 MoM: D. Murphy

Callaghan 7 Reid 8

McClean 7 Fitzy 7

Scatesy 6 D. Murphy 8 Referee: A. Ball 3

Alb Watson 6 1^st Sub: King 6

Haveron 7 2^nd Sub: Friel 6

Picking 6 3^rd Sub: Aid Watson 6