Holm Comfort!

United made the journey to Holm Park Armagh yesterday and despite a hectic finish from the home team, they came home with 3 valuable points. United manager Tommy Wright made one change to his starting line-up, with the fit again Aaron Callaghan returning at right-back, which allowed Simon Kelly to slot into central defence alongside Albert Watson, in the absence of Johnny Flynn, who was away in Cyprus with the Norn Iron under-21s. United almost took the lead after only two minutes when former keeper Stuart Addis just managed to tip a Kelbie header over the bar. The visitors seemed to lose their way a bit after this and home player Conor Forker forced a good save from United keeper Murphy. United stepped up the pressure, but failed to carve out a decent opening, while referee Ken Ginnett allowed the home team to get away with numerous foul tackles as United probed for the vital breakthrough. The official was however right on the spot when home defender Turkington clearly handled a left wing cross and he had no hesitation in awarding United a penalty. Top scorer, Davitt Walsh steered the ball into the left corner of the net to give United a one nil lead with 25 minutes on the clock. Two minutes later Garth Scates picked up the ball just over the halfway line and weaved through the home defence, before passing to the unmarked Mark Picking. The United fans prepared to rise to greet another goal but the winger appeared to stub the ground before delivering a weak shot which Addis saved easily. That was the last action of the game for Picking and 2 minutes later he was assisted off to be replaced by Stephen Lowry. United had further chances to increase their lead but they all tended to break down with the final pass. The home team also looked dangerous at times, but United Captain Albert Watson never allowed his keeper to get pressurised and halftime was reached with United still leading by the single goal.

Armagh had another let-off early in the second-half, when a Kelbie corner from a Craig McClean inswinging corner, was kicked off the line and Gary Haveron's overhead kick just skimmed the crossbar. Armagh then stepped up the pressure and United were under the cosh for a couple of minutes. After some sustained pressure from the home team, Gary Haveron cleared the ball to the live-wire Walsh and he played it neatly into the path of the breaking Stephen Lowry who was 15 yards inside his own half. The Coleraine student burst through the static home defence and as Kelbie pulled wide he went for goal and as Addis advanced coolly slotted the ball high into the net, to open his United scoring account and more importantly give the Sky Blues a two nil lead. Five minutes later United appeared to score another goal when another McClean corner was headed goalwards by Gary Haveron. United fans behind the goal were adamant that the ball crossed the goal-line before being hooked clear. The linesman appeared to point towards the centre circle, signaling a goal in my opinion, when the referee looked towards him, but play was allowed to continue. Davitt Walsh, who worked his 'socks off, was substituted with 10 minutes left, with Fitzy coming on. Armagh threw everything into attack over the closing stages and United's defence looked decidedly wobbly at this stage. Just when it seemed the home team would remain scoreless they were given a lifeline by the referee who gave them a penalty, for an alleged handball, which I must confess I never saw. The penalty was duly dispatched into the net to reduce the score to 2-1 and with 3 minutes of added time United were subjected to a bit more pressure. Luckily they held out to record their 2nd victory in a row and move up to 9th in the league table and even though not out of the woods yet, they are at least moving in the 'Wright' direction!


Murphy 7 Scates 6 MoM: Walsh

Callaghan 7 Walsh 8

McClean 7 Kelbie 7

Haveron 6 Melaugh 7 Referee: K. Ginett 5

Alb Watson 8 1st Sub: Lowry 7

Kelly 6 2nd Sub: Fitzy 6

Picking 6