Bally Flops!

After the sublime displays in United's last five games, it was a sickening blow when the team suffered an embarrassing flop against 10 man Linfield. United began the game with only one change from their starting line-up of Boxing Day, with Ryan Deans replacing broken ankle victim Stuarty King. King, who has been fairly influential during United's 5 game winning run, was badly missed here yesterday, not only for his playing, but in his leadership. Kevin Kelbie took the Captain's armband in Stuarty's enforced absence, but it's a position that United needs to sort out as soon as possible for Kevin lacks the leadership qualities required by United's many youngsters. Linfield, as expected, came out of the blocks like an express train and United survived an early scare when a shot cannoned off a post with barely 2 minutes on the clock. United leftback Lee Colligan was having a torrid time against former Distillery winger John Martin, although some of Martin's theatrical dives were something too behold. Alan Blaney, allegedly a target for Linfield, although United have had no official contact from the I.F.A. (sorry Linfield), made a good save when Martin waltzed past Colligan after 5 minutes and then stopped a goalbound shot from Carvill. United survived the early pressure from the home side and then began to exert some pressure of their own. David Cushley, who was carried off on Boxing Day, played with his leg heavily strapped, but he had United's first real chance with a thunderbolt from 30 yards, which Manus was glad was right at him. Wardy spurned a glorious chance to open the scoring, when he latched onto a through ball from Cushley but decided to pass instead of going for goal himself and the impressive Stephen Douglas was able to intercept. United's defence were at this stage on top form and McDonnell and Watson were both excelling. Kevin Kelbie, despite the attention of 3 home defenders, got a left foot shot in which just scraped the post with Manus stranded and Melaugh saw his shot just drift past as well in United's best spell. Referee Burns was at his usual ineptness, allowing the home team to get away with dubious and late tackles and United fans were wondering if he had taken the field without his yellow cards. This speculation was proved beyond doubt when after Carvill took a 'theatrical' dive, aka John Martin, United's Aiden Watson kicked the ball in frustration and it hit the Linfield player who was feigning injury. I say 'feigning' because he jumped up immediately and grabbed Watson by the throat and was promptly red carded by the official. This I have to say was harsh, a yellow card for Carvill and a ticking off for Watson would have been fair, but the referee had allowed the home team to get away with so much he probably had to take a stand or lose control of the match completely. This incident happened after 40 minutes but United failed to press home their numerical advantage during the rest of the half.

United were last out of the tunnel in the 2nd half and if truth be told were 2nd best throughout most of the 2nd period. The Linfield defence dealt easily with most United attacks and I can't remember their keeper having to make a worthwhile save during the rest of the game. The home team were beginning to put the Sky Blues (playing in their all black strip), under some pressure and forced a couple of needless corners won by their substitute Mark Miskimmin, who was proving a handful for the United defence. Twelve minutes had elapsed when a corner from the right was returned to the home player and from his subsequent cross Douglas got his head to the ball before the hesitant Tommy Wray and despite the efforts of Ryan Deans on the goal-line the ball found the net to give the home team a deserved lead. United manager Roy Walker took off, Cushley and Stewart, with McNeill and Mullan taking their place in an effort to kick-start the lethargic all Blacks. Despite loads of possession United couldn't unlock the home defence and their 'never say die' attitude was aptly summed up when Mullan played a decent ball into the six-yard box for the lurking Kelbie, but Douglas flung himself at the ball to deflect it for a corner. From the resultant kick McNeill attempted an overhead kick but it sailed over the bar. Mullan then failed to deliver a cross when he got to near the byline his cross going over the bar, another chance gone begging, while Wardy seemed unable to contribute anything despite getting plenty of the ball. Referee Burns had obviously picked up his yellow cards at halftime as he cautioned Linfield's Miskimmin for blatantly kicking the ball away and succumbed to the chants of the home team by booking United's best player Aiden Watson late in the game. Referee Burns ineptitude can be summed up by 'one' of many incidents throughout this game. Linfield winger Martin was darting across the pitch and was pushed off the ball by a United player and he (Martin), ran the ball into touch. Referee Burns then astounded the United fans by awarding Linfield a throw-in, it was clearly either a foul to the home team or a throw-in to United, but it was yet another clanger by the official. On a positive note, United took about 500 fans to the game (most of whom stayed to the bitter end and it was bitter believe me)and it was nice to see some of our former players in attendance, Goosey Young and a still youthful looking Michael Smith (United's last winning Irish Cup Captain), to name but two, despite them both finishing their careers at Coleraine, to us they are still Sky Blues!


Blaney 8 Melaugh 6 MoM: Aid Watson

Aid Watson 8 Ward 6

Colligan 6 Kelbie 7

Wray 6 Cushley 6 Referee: C. Burns 2

Gav McDonnell 8 1st Sub: McNeill 6

Stewart 7 2nd Sub: Mullan 6

Deans 6