Crangle Wrangle!

Referee Crangle was the central character in today's game at Stangmore Park, as he set about flourishing yellow cards at United players, whether deserved or not and then ignoring a blatant penalty in the dying minutes of the game. I wonder if I'm alone in this opinion, but to my mind ever since they got their wage increase, referees have got ever worse. There was little between United and Dungannon Swifts today, that was until Timmy Adamson left his studs in Albert Watson's knee and play was held up for 17 minutes while we waited on an ambulance to take Albert to hospital for a suspected broken leg, with Gavin McDonnell taking his place. Not only did Adamson get off without a caution, no foul was given and in fact play got under way with a throw-in to United. United won a free kick almost immediately and Kevin Kelbie's floated free kick found the unmarked Tommy Wray who headed over the bar when it looked easier to score. Referee Crangle cautioned Kevin Kelbie for what can best be described as an innocuous challenge and then Aiden Watson also found his way into the ref's notebook for a somewhat late tackle. United spurned another glorious chance to take the lead when Gavin Melaugh failed to make contact inside the six-yard box, when a touch was all that was needed. Stuarty King then forced a good save from home keeper Nelson after a Kelbie shot had been blocked. Melaugh became the third United player to get cautioned and it looked as if the referee had a vendetta against United players. United keeper Neal Blayney rescued his side when a McAllister cross found Adamson, but the United keeper managed to block the shot. As if to emphasis the referee's bias, Tommy Wray was caught by a late tackle from Adamson as he cleared the ball but the referee took no action. Halftime was reached with the scores level, but United fans knew their team could and should've been in front, having missed two sitters.

Four minutes into the second half Aiden Watson mistimed another tackle and was promptly sent off by referee Crangle, a harsh decision, but what I expected from this 'inept' official. United were in disarray for the next 10 minutes and the home side reaped full advantage when a shot from right-back Mullen deflected off United Captain Gary Haveron and into the net to give the home team a totally undeserved lead after 57 minutes. Manager Walker decided a change was needed and took off both wingers, King and Picking, with Mike Ward and young Ryan Deans taking their place. The United goal led a bit of a charmed life as the home side laid siege while Neal Blayney distinguished himself with a couple of good saves. With 81 minutes on the clock United got a somewhat undeserved lifeline, when young Deans found Kelbie with a delightful through pass. The United striker skilfully turned his man before swerving the ball with a neat dipping shot which home keeper Nelson managed to get a hand to and as the ball dropped United's top scorer Neal Teggart forced it over the line to level the scores at 1-1. It looked like United had salvaged a point, but the home side won a couple of corners in succession and from the second of these central defender McMinn forced the ball over the line to give his side a 2-1 lead. That goal came in the last minute of normal time and and then deep in stoppage we had a horrendous 'gaffe' by referee Crangle. United's Lee Colligan had lost the ball in the opponents box and when he tried to chase back a home defender tried to block him and then when that failed threw a punch at him. United manager Roy Walker 'blew a fuse' when referee Crangle took no action and in fact sent the United manager off for his protestations. This was the last straw for some of the United players and there were quite a few heavy tackles made during the last gasps of this match, but the end result was the same, United had dropped yet another three points and fell further adrift at the bottom of the table.

Blayney 8 Melaugh 5 MoM: Blayney

Wray 6 Teggart 7

Colligan 7 Kelbie 6

Haveron 7 King 5 Referee: Crangle 0

Alb Watson 7 1st Sub: Gav McDonnell 6

Aid Watson 6 2nd Sub: Ward 6

Picking 5 3rd Sub: Deans 7