Swept Aside!

If United manager Roy Walker thought he was going to have an easy journey back to club management I'm sure he's now realised that's not the case and knows the mammoth job he's taken on. Last Saturday's heavy defeat at the hands of Cliftonville faded into oblivion compared to this capitulation at home to Dungannon Swifts. This was probably the worst display by a United team in the last three or four years and on the day the club Development committee sponsored the game it was an absolute insult to these folk who work so tirelessly for the club. If the players had any decency they would volunteer to take half pay for the abject performance which they gave in front of the small number of fans who turned up, the ones who didn't and went to Ballyclare or wherever, were the only wise folk on the day. To say that United were outplayed and out-thought tactically was to make a gross understatement. Galling as last week's defeat at home to Cliftonville was, at least we did score and did create a number of chances, today we created nothing. Such a contrast from Tuesday night at Newry, when at times we played the best we have for some considerable time, yesterday, with the same line-up, we were like a team divided. Only one man can really hold his head high and say 'I tried my eye strings out' and that man was captain for the day, Gary Haveron, but he was virtually fighting a lone battle. Dungannon beat us three nil, aided and abetted by a linesman who didn't wake up until halftime, but still no excuse for the slipshod defending displayed by the United defence. For the record Dungannon took the lead in the 12th minute, Timmy Adamson looking 'suspiciously' offside eluding Gavin McDonnell to find the net. Then 16 minutes later United were caught once again, when yet another through ball found winger Marc McCann, again seemingly offside, but United keeper Alan Blaney despite rushing off his line failed to cut off the danger and McCann deftly chipped the ball past him into the empty net. The closest United came to scoring was a couple of free kicks over the bar and a Gary Haveron shot which failed to trouble the keeper. In fact it was United keeper Alan Blaney who saved his side when McCann once more broke through, the keeper making a good save from his shot. Thankfully referee Black, who had booked United's Walsh for a late challenge after barely a minute, saved the home side with the halftime whistle.

Three minutes after the restart the game was all over when, keeper Blaney, who seems to make at least one gaffe in every game, chose to make a one handed save to a ball that appeared to be drifting harmlessly wide. The end result meant the ball fell kindly to Swifts forward McAllister and as Blaney attempted to close him down the ball broke to Adamson who drilled it into the empty net. The United players appeared to be resigned to their fate and still seemed unable to rouse themselves from their 'couldn't care less' attitude, epitomised by the display of striker Teggart who was only going through the motions. Manager Walker rang the changes taking off Joe McDonnell and Kennedy and bringing on Aiden Watson and Kelbie, changing to a 4,3,3 formation. The linesman, who had only awakened from his slumbers after 35 minutes play, was on top form in the second half and seemed to flag every time United attacked and signalled for a handball against Walsh, when the ball clearly came off his chest, but failed to see a clear case of shirt pulling by the Swifts defence. Manager Walker finally took off the disinterested Teggart, bringing on McGinley who was welcomed to the game by a horrendous tackle from a Swifts player, but referee Black took no action as he did when Adamson clearly played on after the whistle was blown for an offside infringement. The United goal had another scare near the end, but defender McDonnell somehow managed to divert the ball for a corner, saving his side further embarrassment. Referee Black brought proceedings to a halt and United had suffered their second successive home defeat, but on evidence of this display, it won't be their last!


(1) Blaney 5 (12) J. McDonnell 5 MoM: Haveron

(2) Wray 4 (9) Teggart 4

(26) McClean 5 (14) Walsh 6

(4) Haveron 7 (11) King 5 Referee: A. Black 3

(5) Al Watson 5 1st Sub: (16) Aid Watson 6

(6) G. McDonnell 6 2nd Sub: (10) Kelbie 6

(25) Kennedy 5 3rd Sub: (17) McGinley 4

Drawn Conclusions!

United manager made a couple of changes to his starting line-up tonight at Newry, with central defender Gavin McDonnell, teaming up alongside United Captain Albert Watson, which in turn released Gary Haveron into a central midfield role. Winger McGinley and striker Kelbie were both rested, which meant veteran Peter Kennedy switching to left-midfield and Stuarty King taking up the right-side berth, while Davitt Walsh was recalled upfront alongside Neal Teggart. United started brightly forcing a couple of fruitless corners, but it was the home team who took the lead with just 8 minutes on the clock. Albert failed to get his head to a through ball and striker Garrett, somehow eluded Gav McDonnell to slide the ball past goalkeeper Blaney. As United attempted to get back in the game the home team reverted to some strong and foul tackling which referee Moutray allowed to go unpunished, with one particular over the top foul on United striker Walsh, bringing howls of derision from the small crowd of United fans. Referee Moutray failed to caution the Newry player and United's free-kick was hit over the bar by Kennedy. Then in the 22nd minute a through ball from Haveron was controlled by Teggart before he curled a delightful shot past former United keeper, Paul Murphy to level the scores at one apiece. United had 'their tails up' at this time and subjected the home team to some fierce pressure, forcing 8 corners but to no avail. Former Newry player Joe McDonnell latched on to another Haveron pass and even though he beat keeper Murphy to it he was unable to turn it goalwards. Yet another free-kick was hit over the bar, this time by Haveron and then Walsh picked up a booking for a late tackle, which seemed somewhat harsh after what the home team had got 'away' with. With halftime approaching, a Stuarty King inswinger from the right was headed powerfully goalwards by Watson, but the ball struck the post and Walsh's rebound bounced off McDonnell to safety.

The home team stepped up the pace in the second half and United clung on desperately, with goalkeeper Blaney making a couple of good stops in the process. The home manager rang the changes bringing on all his subs, but United manager Walker persisted with what he had. Joe McDonnell almost repaid his manager's faith, but he failed to find the target from a Walsh pass, when he shot hurriedly, instead of biding his time. Shortly afterwards he became the 2nd United player to be cautioned when he tugged the shirt of an opponent after he lost possession. During a spell of Newry pressure, there was an ugly incident, where first United fullback Tommy Wray appeared to 'clean' a home player and then a home player went in 'over the top' on Stuarty King, the referee's decision, a throw-in to United. After three failed attempts Stuarty King finally delivered a 'good' corner and Gary Haveron headed United into the lead with 10 minutes remaining. The remainder of the game was a 'backs to the wall' defence by United and they paid the ultimate price in the 90th minute. They conceded a free-kick wide on their left flank and when the cross came in Mickey Collins was allowed a free header and the ball fell to midfielder Clarke and he drove the ball high into the corner of the net. This was a body blow to the United defence, but in the end we had paid the price for our missed chances and I think a draw was a fair result!

Blaney 6 Kennedy 6 MoM: Haveron

Wray 6 Joe McDonnell 6

McClean 6 Teggart 7

Haveron 8 Walsh 7 Referee: T. Moutray 3

Watson 6 King 8

Gav McDonnell 7

Northern Exposure!

Ballymena made a dream start, in today's inaugural Premier league game, a goal to the good after 2 minutes, courtesy of a glancing header by Neal Teggart from Stuart King's corner. But I'm afraid that's as good as it got for the Sky Blues and in the end Cliftonville ran out easy winners by a somewhat flattering 5-1 scoreline. United's defending especially from set- pieces, was to say the least, benevolent and former player Davey McAlinden enjoyed the freedom of the penalty box and set the reds on their way with a 'free' header for the unmarked Murphy to fire into the net. This strike bought the scores level, but a moment earlier, after Joe McDonnell had allowed a McGinley cross to by-pass him only Neil Teggart knows why he drove his shot straight at visiting keeper John Connelly. Five minutes later Teggart repeated the dose, this time screwing his shot wide when 'one-on- one' with the keeper, after a good pass from Kelbie. That was it as far as the home team was concerned, as another former Sky Blue, the one ball wonder, that is Rory Hamill, scored from the edge of the box in the 41st minute and 3 minutes later, keeper Blaney, inexorably dropped the ball and Chris Scannell hammered home the first goal of what was to be his hat-trick.
Two minutes into the second half Blaney 'boobed' once again falling to claim the ball when it was a few feet from his grasp and Scannell duly increased his teams lead. Then we witnessed one of those bizarre incidents, when the linesman allowed play to continue when Scannell was clearly in an off-side position and then the hit-man popped up to apply the finishing touch to make the score 5-1 to the visitors. The United manager rang the changes, replacing Haveron with Gavin McDonnell before taking off Teggart and McGinley, with Walsh and Picking taking their place. Five minutes from time, United captain Albert Watson 'capped' an afternoon he'll want to forget with a 'free' header from 10 yards, which missed the target completely! This was definitely not the start Roy walker had envisaged and now it's over to him to perform the miracle which gets us a result next Tuesday at Newry!

(1) Blaney 4 (12) J. McDonnell 4 MoM: Stuarty King

(2) Wray 5 (9) Teggart 6

(26) McClean 5 (10) Kelbie 5

(4) Haveron 5 (11) King 6 Referee: D. Malcolm 4

(5) Alb. Watson 5 1st Sub: (6) G. McDonnell 6

(25) Kennedy 5 2nd Sub: (7) Picking 6

(17) McGinley 4 3rd Sub: (14) Walsh 6