Rock Bottom!

After this insipid performance against what can only be described as a somewhat ordinary Linfield team, it's obvious that a massive clear-out is required at the Showgrounds. Only four players in United's eleven could hold their heads up and say 'I did my best today' as for the rest, it's time for them to move along and that includes United's joint top scorers . Having said that I'm not sure the quality players are about and United badly need quality players. For some reason known only to himself, United manager Roy Walker gave Mark Picking a starting role in place of David Cushley and Craig McClean slotted in at leftback in place of the injured Lee Colligan. Picking is well past his best and offered little in attack, not that United's two strikers Teggart and Kelbie were greatly interested as I can't remember either seriously testing Linfield keeper Alan Manus. Where was the passion of last Saturday I ask you? This was yet another abject home defeat, where United let in three more goals making a total of 12 conceded at home since the turn of the year. This in stark contrast to their away form where in the same period they conceded only one goal and that was against Saturday's opponents. the story of the match could best be described as a three dive game. Linfield's Paul Munster was the villain of the piece on this occasion. Firstly he took an outrageous 'dive' after 20 minutes as he burst into the box, lost possession and went tumbling over. Referee Mark Courtenay (he of ham shank fame), gave a free kick outside the box, which was a wrong decision on two counts. Firstly it never was a foul and secondly it was well inside the box which should've meant a penalty. Then after 35 minutes Paul Muir lunged towards an unmarked Munster, made no contact, but the blues player went down like a 'sack of spuds' and referee Courtenay duly gave a penalty. Up stepped Jim Ervin to easily beat Blaney from the penalty spot. Ten minutes later Munster took another 'blatant dive' but this time the referee ignored the incident, but surely he should've yellow carded him, yet more inept refereeing. United held out to halftime and we hoped for better fare in the 2nd half.

United did attempt to get back in the game but when blues defender Ervin clearly handled in the box the referee waved away United's protests and just gave a corner. In probably their best move of the game Kelbie fed Aiden Watson but his cross from inside the box wasn't reached by any of United's players. United defender Gavin McDonnell, who has been a tower of strength over the last few games, missed a through ball and Munster looking well offside, ran through and easily beat Blaney from inside the box. That goal came after 64 minutes and when Aiden Watson went down under a heavy challenge manager Walker replaced him and the lack lustre Teggart, with, McConnell and Cushley. This new blood brought nothing to the game and with time ticking away it was the visitors who notched another goal when substitute McHugh latched onto a very short back pass from McDonnell to easily beat the uninterested Blaney. In a last throw of the dice United had brought on Albert Watson in place of McClean but this had no effect as far as I could see. Thankfully there was no more scoring, even though McAllister missed a sitter and was taunted by United fans with chants of, £35,00 for that! Alan Manus was also reminded that his best chance of getting into cross channel football was by catching the Scottish ferry. A dismal end to the first phase and with United's next home game in 3 weeks time against 'Stute, manager Walker will have his work cut-out getting these boys up for that!


Blayney 6 Melaugh 5 MoM: Smith

Wray 5 Teggart 5

Muir 7 Kelbie 5

Smith 7 Aid Watson 7 Referee; M. Courtenay 1

McDonnell 5 1st Sub; McConnell 5

McClean 6 2nd Sub: Cushley 6

Picking 5 3rd Sub: Alb Watson 5

Messiah Walker!

United manager Roy Walker has set himself a high standard with two wins and a draw over the team 'we love to hate', the Coleraine scum. Not only two wins but two emphatic wins and we allowed them to snatch a draw, which they didn't deserve in the first game back in September 27, when we had only taken 2 points from 9 games and our confidence was at rock bottom. Since then we have made a remarkable recovery and on our showing yesterday should complete the process over the next couple of games. United surprisingly included Neal Teggart from the start, but he looked badly off the pace and fluffed a great chance to give United the lead midway through the first half. United began the game with a flat back four of, Smith, McConnell, Muir and Colligan and a midfield four of Aid Watson, Wray, Melaugh and Cushley, with Teggart and Kelbie up font. Cushley, continues to frustrate as he created and missed United's best chances when with the wind at their backs they exposed the home teams frailties on a number of occasions. First Cushley failed to find the target, from inside the box, blasting a right-foot shot high wide and handsome with the 'not so fat' Davey O'Hare rooted to the spot. Then he flashed another shot wide after cutting inside, before delivering a corner over the bar, what a waste. After a good build up Teggart bore down on the home goal but his lack of fitness told as he allowed a scum defender to get back and tackle him and his shot flew into the grateful arms of the slimmer (I did say slimmer, not 'slim'), Davey O'Hare. O'Hare was blatantly wasting time from the start of the game and referee Alan Black was reluctant to produce the ultimate deterrent, a yellow card. On the rare occasions when the home team managed to mount an attack they found the United defence in a no nonsense mood, typified by the ferocious display of midfielder Aiden Watson. Despite looking like losing out on many occasions Watson battled on dominating the Coleraine midfield, ably backed up to a lesser extent by Tommy Wray. Coleraine's Tommy McCallion was allowed to get away with three bad tackles before referee Black finally produced a deserved yellow card. United missed two glorious chances when free kicks from Smith just needed a touch, but no-one was able to get the decisive deflection and the chances were lost. United keeper Alan Blayney dropped the ball when under pressure, but Aiden Watson was on hand to save the day. The referee added on 3 minutes at the end of the first period to counteract the time-wasting of the home keeper, but as I said earlier a caution would've been the better option. So halftime was reached with the scoresheet still blank, but we hoped for better fare in the second half.

United almost took the lead one minute into the half when after a 'rare' kick-off procedure (usually it's just a big punt into touch), they actually kept the ball and Teggart just failed to get a shot on target after a Kelbie pass. United despite playing against the breeze continued to take the game to Coleraine, but the home team did have a ten minute spell where United were unable to clear their lines, but the defence held firm, led by the magnificent Gavin McDonnell. The big Dubliner time and again came to United's rescue with resolute tackles and they survived the home team's onslaught. When United did finally break the home team's hold, McCallion deliberately handled the ball, but the 'gutless' referee Black failed to administer the normal yellow card. Gavin Melaugh spurned a great chance when finding himself in possession on the edge of the box, he elected to pass rather than go for goal himself. Lee Colligan's long throws were a constant threat to the home defence and from one of these level with the six-yard box, Muir nodded the ball on to Kelbie's head and O'Hare just managed to finger-tip the ball over for a corner. From the resultant corner United did manage to get the ball in the net when the keeper appeared to punch it in himself but the referee disallowed it for an unseen infringement. United manager Roy Walker made two decisive changes midway through the half, with Teggart and Cushley being replaced by Picking and McConnell. This gave the visitors more of an impetus and they put the scum under even more pressure, as Smith, Wray and Picking stretched their left flank to breaking point. United's pressure won them a corner on the right and Picking appeared reluctant to take it, but luckily he relented in the end. Never has the former Coleraine/Linfield winger struck a better dead ball as this one landed fairly and squarely on Paul Muir's nut and he left O'Hare grasping at thin air with a bullet header into the net. United fans were on their feet saluting the 'returning hero' who since signing during the transfer window has notched 3 goals for his home-town club. Coleraine's response was to take off Gibson and bring on Jody Tolan, who tried to upset McDonnell but United's strongman just brushed him aside and kept his cool. In a last throw of the dice the home team introduced the cumbersome Davy Patton and Roy Walker brought on Albert Watson in place of the tiring Melaugh. McCallion escaped yet another booking after a brutal tackle on Tommy Wray, but we expected nothing else from referee Black. Try as they might the home team could not get back in the game, even with the referee giving them dubious free kicks and United held out for yet another victory, which if not a classic, was still sweet to all United fans. United got a wee bonus with the news that Dungannon had lost, giving them a ten point cushion over the bottom club, but most importantly 'bragging rights' over the Coleraine scum!


Blayney 8 Aid Watson 8 MoM: Aid Watson

Smith 8 Teggart 6

Colligan 7 Kelbie 7

Wray 7 Cushley 6 Referee: A. Black 4

McDonnell 8 1st Sub: Picking 7

Muir 8 2nd Sub: McConnell 7

Melaugh 7 3rd Sub: Alb Watson 7

Slippery Slope!

United's worst fears were realised today when their abysmal home record reared it's ugly face once more. As expected United went back to the 3,5,2 formation and got off to a dream start when new signing Nathan McConnell was hauled down inside the box with 8 minutes on the clock. A clear penalty although referee Carvill didn't give it but his linesman did and up stepped United Captain Kevin Kelbie to drill the ball into the net. Two minutes later it should've been two when after a Kelbie shot had been blocked McConnell could only fire his follow-up straight at Glenavon keeper Plummer. This was to prove a costly miss as the visitors stepped up the pace and the United defence was under severe pressure. Glenavon forward Molloy picked up a caution for dissent, but then was allowed to get away with a deliberate handball and when the ball broke to his fellow striker Costello he waltzed past three static United defenders before drilling his shot past Blaney to level the scores. United wasted a free kick when Paul Muir could only drive his kick against the Glenavon wall and at the other end Blaney had to be alert to divert a shot from Molloy round the post. When Blaney again saved a McDonagh shot Molloy reacted quickly to give his team the lead with the United defence flat-footed. Luckily United held out until halftime being the one goal behind but they were under severe pressure.

United upped the pressure at the start of the second half but were unable to find the breakthrough as the visitors defence held firm, aided and abetted by some strange refereeing decisions from Carvill. He allowed the Glenavon defenders to dive over the United attackers but when United''s defenders attempted likewise he pulled them up for fouls. He cautioned three United players, but all the bad fouls came from the visitors, one especially vicious from McDonagh worthy of at least a booking, just merited a 'ticking off'. United midfielder David Cushley almost conjured up an equaliser with an audacious overhead kick from 25 yards which just grazed a post. United manager Roy Walker took off McConnell with 25 minutes left and joint top scorer Neal Teggart took his place. Five minutes after coming on Teggart released Kelbie with a neat pass but the United captain failed to find the target from 15 yards, yet another bad miss. Gavin McDonnell made way for Mark Picking, with United reverting to a flat back four. With the game drawing to a close Cushley could only find the side netting after being released by Kelbie, yet another chance gone begging. With 5 minutes remaining Cushley made way for Mike Ward and despite United throwing everybody forward they couldn't find the vital pass that would unlock the visitors defence. They now find themselves a mere 7 points ahead of the bottom team, Dungannon Swifts, with only 7 games remaining and in a real dogfight!


Blaney 7 Aid Watson 7 MoM: Blaney

Wray 7 McConnell 6

Muir 6 Kelbie 7

Smith 7 Cushley 6 Referee: H. Carvill 2

Colligan 7 1st Sub: Teggart 7

McDonnell 6 2nd Sub: Picking 6

Alb Watson 7 3rd Sub: Wardy 6