Limping Along!

United fans are gradually coming to terms with the Sky Blues tactics of just doing enough to win and so it was yesterday when they travelled to play Donegal Celtic. Indeed during the first 15 minutes it was the locals who looked the most likely to score and the United rearguard was under some real pressure during the opening quarter of the half. Gary Haveron, alongside United Captain Albert Watson in a central defensive role was struggling but luckily for the visitors their Captain was in top form as was keeper Paul Murphy. United had made two changes to their starting line-up of the previous week, with Haveron dropping back into defence for the suspended Johnny Flynn, David Cushley took Gary's place on the left-side of midfield. Fitzy took the place of the injured Davitt Walsh, but the Letterkenny man had recovered enough to get a place on the bench. Stephen Lowry gave the home leftback McCabe, a former United player, a torrid time and invoked a foul on the edge of the box. Referee David Best, an ardent Linfield fan, must have a soft spot for the D.C. as well for he allowed the players to be only 5 yards from Cushley's free kick and it ricocheted away to safety. When the visitors got a free in a similar position after 20 minutes he physically paced out the distance for the United wall to retreat. United keeper Paul Murphy made a good if unspectacular save for a corner from the free kick. From the resultant corner, United's under-21 fullback Aaron Callaghan swept from his own half deep into the home team's half, only to be scythed down by McCabe and the referee cautioned the Celtic leftback. United, falling into bad old habits again, took a short free kick, but as has happened so many times in the past it came to nothing. With 27 minutes on the clock Lowry was fouled once more near the edge of the box and Cushley this time made sure his kick avoided the Celtic wall and United Captain Albert Watson glanced a header into the home net. This goal it has to be said came against the run of play and two minutes later it should've been doubled. Kevin Kelbie, man-marked by former United defender Kieran Donaghy, wriggled past the Celtic defender and though his pass took a slight deflection it fell nicely to Fitzy. The home goalie was well off his line, but Fitzy's attempted lob went wide when it looked easier to score. This could have proved an expensive miss but United kept the home team at bay for the rest of the half and went in at the break leading by the solitary goal.

The home team came out in a determined fashion for the second half and it seemed only a matter of time before they would get an equaliser. Former player Donaghy forced a good save from United keeper Murphy and in fact D.C. forced 4 corners during the first 5 minutes of the half. United did have a few breakaways, but referee Best and his assistants were extremely lenient with the home rightback who continually fouled United's David Cushley, drawing finally an explosion from United manager Tommy Wright and visiting fans. United were defending too deeply in my opinion and when they did break they seemed reluctant to cross the ball. Gavin Melaugh should've done better though with a free header from one slick move involving Lowry but his weak header was easily saved by the keeper. With 71 minutes on the clock United finally got the insurance goal when rightback Callaghan delivered a rare cross into the box and Scatesy popped up to steer the ball into the empty net, his third goal of the season. United manager Tommy Wright made a couple of changes afterwards, with Stuarty King replacing Cushley and Lee Patrick coming on for Stephen Lowry. Kevin Kelbie almost got on the score sheet when he latched onto a Patrick cross but drove the ball straight at the home keeper. Stuarty King then headed tamely into the keepers arms, but the miss of the match came after 85 minutes when after good play from Kelbie, Fitzy took the ball off the striker's toe 15 yards from goal, but drove it wide of an empty net. With two minutes to go Fitzy broke clear down the left and with Kelbie screaming for a pass he cut it back to Stuarty King, but he messed up once more. United survived the 3 minutes of added time and had kept a clean sheet once more, but methinks they'll have a much sterner test come Tuesday night when they travel to New Grovesnor in the game abandoned 15 days ago, hopefully the 'real' United will show it's face then!


Murphy 7 Scates 7 MoM: Watson

Callaghan 6 Fitzy 5

McClean 6 Kelbie 7

Melaugh 7 Cushley 7 Referee: D. Best 3

Watson 8 !st Sub: King 5

Haveron 7 2nd Sub: Patrick 6

Lowry 7