Two Halves!

The old saying that it's a game of two halves, was never better illustrated than in last night's match at New Grovesnor. Before the game got underway there was some excitement in the stand as David 'the Bigot' Jeffrey took his seat, no doubt anxious to see how the game should really be played. Distillery won the toss and elected to attack the Lisburn end of the ground and almost caught United cold in the first couple of minutes. Stephen Shaw, who has been at more clubs than former United manager Alan Campbell, took a long throw in on the edge of the United box. No United defender challenged home striker Gary Browne but United keeper Paul Murphy rescued his defence with a good save at the expense of a corner. Five minutes later he 'made the save of the season', when pushing a point blank shot from Waterworth round the post once more, an incredible stop. I think in many ways this was one of the reasons behind United's renaissance as the home team looked shattered and United began to find a few openings themselves. David Cushley had retained his place in a five man midfield, the only change to Saturday's line-up being the return of young defender Johnny Flynn, at the expense of Fitzy. Cushley was doing his best to support lone striker Kevin Kelby, while Gary Haveron helped out in defence when the home team, aided and abetted by a poor linesman, who missed about 4 blatant offsides, exerted some pressure on the United back four. Gavin Melaugh and Scatesy were at their best in centre midfield, while right winger Stephen Lowry was at his trickiest down the right flank. United despite winning two or three free kicks and corners couldn't manage a breakthrough and home keeper Phillipp Matthews could even afford the luxury of the fumbling of an easy cross, but no United player reacted soon enough to embarrass the home keeper. David Cushley or the 'Cush' as he is known to some United fans, is fast developing into a key member of United's midfield and he demonstrated this last night with a couple of timely tackles and supporting United leftback Craiggers McClean. With the minutes ticking away towards halftime, Craiggers was harshly adjudged to have fouled a Whites player on the edge of the box and in fact the linesman only 'flagged' when the home players appealed to him. Former United player Paul Muir hit a left-foot shot which skimmed the crossbar, the United defensive wall had done it's job and anyway keeper Murphy appeared to have it covered. The half was reached with the game still scoreless and we eagerly awaited the resumption, while deriding the Bigoted Jeffrey as he went for a halftime cuppa.

Two minutes into the second half United almost broke the deadlock when Aaron Callaghan chipped the ball into Scatesy and he in turn cleverly lobbed the advancing Matthews, but a Whites defender managed to hook the ball to safety. A minute later Gavin Melaugh fed the Cush through the middle and his rising shot thudded off the crossbar with the keeper beaten all ends up. But United were not to be denied and they took a deserved lead in the 50th minute, when a pass found the home defence split asunder and although Kevin Kelbie seemed to miskick the ball, it eluded the home keeper and found the back of the net. United had their tails up now and were threatening to run their opponents into the ground, while you could see the home player's collective heads dropping. As so often happens in these cases, the least likely thing occurred. Kevin Kelbie had struggled with high balls all night, with a home fan mocking him saying, 'you're useless in the air', but boy he made him eat his words. Paul Murphy took a free kick about thirty yards from his goal and Kelbie rose like an eagle cushioning a header to Stephen Lowry, who sped down the wing before firing in a majestic cross. There to meet it was the Cush and he headed it into the net to put United two up with only 14 minutes gone in the half. The match was virtually over after this although there were a couple of bookings for both teams and the home team's Ryan McCann was rightly sent off for elbowing United's Stephen Lowry. United manager Tommy Wright rung the changes in the last 15 minutes, taking off Cush and bringing on Stuarty King and then Lee Patrick replaced Scatesy. Stuarty missed a glorious opportunity to set Kelbie away when he couldn't find the unmarked striker and instead went for goal himself, but failed to trouble the keeper. With 5 minutes left Stephen Lowry made way for Mark Picking and in a bizarre twist after a home defender had knocked the ball out of Murphy's hand, the United keeper found his way into referee Turkington's book also. United managed to keep the ten men at bay recording a clean sheet for the 5th match in succession and leaping into fourth place in the league as well and despite the efforts of the home forwards, allegedly shooting at the floodlights, they stayed on this time!

Murphy 8 Scates 8 MoM: Haveron

Callaghan 7 Cushley 8

McClean 7 Kelbie 8

Haveron 8 Melaugh 8 Referee: B. Turkington 4

Alb Watson 8 1st Sub: King 5

Flynn 7 2nd Sub: Patrick 6

Lowry 8 3rd Sub: Picking 6