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