Clean Sheet!

United kept a rare 'clean sheet' at the windswept Showgrounds yesterday and they were indebted to 'man of the match' Paul Murphy who kept them in the game with a couple of good saves, one of which was top drawer. At the other end unfortunately the United forwards had no idea how to open up the Donegal Celtic defence, while their keeper Declan Brown also had a good game. United manager Tommy Wright had to do without top scorer Kevin Kelbie, who didn't travel because of a calf injury, which meant United had no legitimate 'target man' upfront and their dimunitive strike force of Walsh and Wardy were easily dealt with by the visitors defence. The United manager made five changes to the starting line-up who succmbed so easily in United's last match away to Limavady eight days previously. Out went Lee Patrick, Stephen Lowry, Stuarty King, the injured Kelbie and United's scorer from last week, Gavin Melaugh who was serving a one game ban. The players taking their place were, Gary Haveron, Garth Scates, Aiden Watson, Davitt Walsh and David Cushley. With the exception of Gary Haveron, none of these players made any difference in my opinion. In the case of Garth Scates, he is not and never will be a winger and why he takes the 'brunt' of United's free kicks is beyond me as he either blasts them over the bar or too close to the keeper. United with the strong wind at their backs in the first half dominated play and Celtic keeper Brown pushed a Scates corner onto the bar, but referee Burns astonishingly gave a goal kick instead of another corner. David Cushley, who has been lauded by myself and the rest of the 'Sport team, also had a snap shot pushed onto the bar and over and referee Burns gave yet another goalkick. I wonder if there's been a few changes to the rules that I don't know about, like when a player chests a ball down on the goal-line, he gets sent off and the other team get a penalty, ah well that's another story. Celtic almost showed United how it was done, when the home defence was easily undone and former Coleraine striker Sean Armstrong shot wide when it looked easier to score. At the other end Scates blasted a free Kick over the bar from 30 yards, a complete waste of time and Wardy appeared to be fouled in the box but referee Burns waved play on. In added time at the end of the first half United were indebted to keeper Murphy when he parried a goalbound shot from McAloran of Celtic and the ball was scrambled away to safety.

Celtic, not unsurprisingly I might say given their schedule over the last 7 days, seemed a bit sluggish in the second half and United weren't subjected to too much pressure despite the visitors having the elements in their favour. Having said that they did however carve out the best move of the match, when a poor United corner was turned into a counter attack and McAloran found Hamill with a delightful pass on the edge of the penalty box. The former United man hit the ball on the volley and unluckily for him United keeper Paul Murphy acrobatically turned his shot for a corner. United had a half chance to get something out of the game, when Brown dropped a Cushley corner, but the keeper redeemed himself by blocking a United shot in the mini-scramble that ensued. Manager Wright rang the changes over the last 20 minutes, with reserve striker and top scorer Randal Reid replacing Walsh, a strange move as Wardy was contributing nothing at this stage, a short time later Picking took Scates place and finally young Gareth McConaghie replaced the disappointing Cushley. McConaghie in my opinion looks like a surviver from Kenny Shiels time, a 'dinky' player, but lets give him time and maybe, just maybe, we'll be pleasantly surprised. United had one final chance to wrap up all three points, when Picking jinked past a couple of tiring defenders, but his 'scuffed' shot failed to trouble Brown in the visitors goal. All in all another disappointing result from the underperforming Sky Blues and a display like that against the Coleraine 'scum' will not be taken lightly by the home fans next Saturday. So be warned Tommy and get the message through to your team, you need to step up a gear next week, or, suffer the consequences!

Murphy 7 Aid Watson 6 MoM: P. Murphy

Wray 6 Walsh 6

McClean 6 Wardy 5

Haveron 7 Cushley 5 Referee: C. Burns 4

Alb Watson 6 1st Sub: Reid 6

Kelly 6 2nd Sub: Picking 6

Scates 5 3rd Sub: McConaghie 5