Due Rewards!

Just for a change United lost at Stangmore Park today, I know I'm being ironic here as it's usual for us to lose at Stangmore Park, but it was the manner of our defeat that was so galling. United manager Tommy Wright abandoned his 4,1,4,1, formation, but selected at least one surprise player and made a poor positional change. He selected Davitt Walsh to spearhead the attack with Kevin Kelbie, but for some reason known only to himself, moved Scatesy onto the right wing, a position he can't play and subsequently was a virtual passenger throughout the game. In another strange move he selected Lee Patrick in centre midfield, where his distinct lack of pace was brutally exploited by the Swifts midfield. Simon Kelly was dropped to the subs bench, while the versatile Gary Haveron didn't even make the panel. United won the toss and elected to play down the slope, with a strong wind at their backs and which they struggled to use to their advantage. The home team on the other hand were taking the game to United who seemed reluctant to put in any worthwhile tackles. The Swifts almost took the lead when the United defence were caught napping by a short corner, the first of many times today, and former player Austen Friel's header was tipped over by the alert Murphy. A surprise inclusion in the Dungannon team was former United player Darren Murphy, who had informed the Sky Blues that he was retiring from football and supposedly returned to Dungannon as reserve team manager. In a spell of rare United pressure they forced a couple of corners, but couldn't find the vital breakthrough. We also won a free kick about 25 yards from goal, but in the absence of our 'dead ball experts', Kelly and Haveron, Gavin Melaugh's shot cleared the defensive wall and the home team's crossbar. The home team almost took the lead near halftime, when striker McAllister headed against the bar and United were able to scramble the ball for another corner. The 4th official signalled for one minute of stoppage time, even though there had been virtually no stoppages, but referee Trevor Moutray actually played almost 2 minutes.

United came out for the second half with a bit of renewed vigour and took the lead after 49 minutes, when Melaugh took a pass from Scatesy and beat former United keeper Dwayne Nelson with a tremendous left foot shot from thirty yards, which screamed into the net. Two minutes later the home defence got into a tangle and Walsh just failed to get a touch with Nelson and his defenders in a real mix-up. Dungannon stepped up the pace and we could see that Lee Patrick was a virtual passenger at this stage, but our manager took no action. A Dungannon player went down injured and play was held up for a good 2 minutes while he got treatment, why couldn't he have been taken off and the game could've continued is beyond me. With 71 minutes on the clock disaster struck for United, Albert Watson saw a through ball glance off his head and home striker McAllister shielded the ball before turning Tommy Wray and beating Murphy from 15 yards. Two minutes later it was 2-1, when the United defence, allowed a cross to come over and McAllister headed past Murphy once more to give his team a 2-1 lead. United manager Tommy Wright finally woke from his slumbers and made three changes, taking off, Patrick, Scatesy and Walsh and bringing on Aiden Watson, Stephen Lowry and Mike Ward. Despite putting the home team under some pressure United couldn't find the vital breakthrough. They did however create one good opening when Lowry nipped in between Nelson and his defence, much like Walsh had done earlier, but his shot missed the target. Craig McClean was the object of a brutal tackle from Austen Friel, unpunished by the referee and had to have a full minute's treatment from the United physio. Dungannon had also made two substitutions during the second half and it was a total surprise to me when the fourth official signalled for just 3 minutes of stoppage time, when we had had at least 3 minutes lost due to injuries, never mind the substitutions. The referee on this occasion didn't play a second over the alloted time, but even if he had played all night I don't think there was another goal in us. So United continue in 'free fall' and if they don't get back to winning soon, they'll be lucky to finish in the top half of the league, very lucky indeed!


Murphy 7 Melaugh 7 MoM: Melaugh

Wray 6 Walsh 5

McClean 6 Kelbie 6

Patrick 5 King 5 Referee: T. Moutray 3

Alb Watson 6 1st Sub: Lowry 6

Pooley 6 2nd Sub: Aid Watson 6

Scatesy 5 3rd Sub: Ward 6