Blue Down!

Ballymena succumbed to a second successive league defeat and a 3rd defeat in a row, when they 'gifted' 3 goals to Crusaders at Seaview yesterday. The small number of Sky Blue fans who made the trip were almost doomed to the inevitable the longer the game progressed. The United manager had surprised us with his team selection going for a 4,3, 3 formation and giving young Gary Baird a debut on the right wing. Crusader's manager Stephen Baxter obviously needs to see an optician as he said that we picked a team of tall players. Yes Stephen we see what you mean, Aiden Watson 5 foot 3, Gary Baird, 5 foot 2, Stephen Lowry 5 foot 8, Lee Patrick 5 foot 8 in fact we only had 3 tall players on the team, Simon Kelly, Johnny Flynn and Stuarty King, but we'll let Stephen believe what he wants to believe. United continued where they left off on Wednesday night by creating and missing numerous chances in the first half. Stuarty King, despite getting beyond his marker on half a dozen occasions, failed to put in a telling cross. United twice within a minute almost took the lead, firstly a Kelly pile driver forced Crues keeper Shannon into saving at the expense of a corner and from the resultant corner Johnny Flynn's goal bound shot was scrambled to safety. United had a let-off just before halftime when a linesman's flag ruled out a goal by the home team.

United held out for 15 minutes in the second half having a legitimate penalty appeal waved away by referee Hunter when Aiden Watson was floored in the box. Then when referee Hunter awarded the home team a free kick on the left wing, we all waited in anticipation. Sure enough the cross came over, the United defence stood and watched as usual and home striker Coulter had the simple task of heading past the hapless Murphy in the United goal. That's three goals from 3 free kicks on the left, already this season, which United have defended miserably and surely somebody in the United management team should be able to do something about it. That goal came in the 61 ist minute and exactly 12 minutes later Paul Murphy did his famous 'waving act' as a cross sailed over his head and Crues player Morrow beat Lee Patrick to the ball to make it 2 nil. In yet another 12 minutes the United defence stood and watched as Coulter juggled the ball before shooting past the stranded Murphy to seal a 3 nil win. The closest United came to reducing the leeway was a Simon Kelly free kick which sailed miles over the bar. This defeat drops the Sky Blues to 12th in the table with the horrendous goal difference of 2 for and 8 against and there appears little light at the end of this tunnel.

Murphy 5 Patrick 5 MoM: Lowry

Kelly 5 Lowry 6

McClean 6 Kelbie 5

Aid Watson 5 King 5 Referee: A. Hunter 4

Alb Watson 5 1st Sub: Reid 5

Flynn 5 2nd Sub: Cushley 5

Baird 5 3rd Sub: Scates 5