Kelbie Rules!

United striker Kevin Kelbie played a Captains part at the Oval tonight, where United outplayed the league champions. The United defence were outstanding, ably led by Albert Watson, who completely snuffed out danger man Gary Hamilton and Mark Surgenor who improves with every game. Add to that fullbacks Lee Colligan and Michael Smith, who despite at times having to do some backs to the wall defending, still found time to stretch the home defence with their overlapping wing-back play. The midfield four of Anderson, Lockhart, Carson and Cushley battled hard and took the honours in midfield, while upfront Andy Smith was at his devilish best, a constant thorn in the flesh to the aged Leeman. Then of course there was King Kevin, who generally reserves his best displays for the Oval and tonight was no exception. United dominated the first half, without getting a clear cut chance but Cushley managed one shot on target from long range. Debutant goalkeeper, Aaron Kerr had a steadying influence at the back and dealt capably with everything that came at him. So halftime was reached with the game still scoreless but not hopeless.

United were a wee bit slow out of the blocks in the 2nd half and found themselves under pressure, but they weathered the storm and finally began to open up the home defence once more. Kelbie, subjected home defender Taylor to some pressure and he conceded a needless throw-in and from the resultant throw, Kelbie chested the ball to Cushley and his 25 yard pile-driver was turned over the bar by home keeper Morris. Carson swung in a beauty from the right and Anderson was unlucky to see his shot saved once more by Morris. Andy Smith then wriggled to the byline and put a cross onto Kelbie's head but the striker failed to find the target, a bad miss. Then in the 66th minute Smith laid the ball into Kelbie's path and he drilled a left foot shot into the corner of the net from 20 yards to give Elliot no chance. As the Glens sacrificed a defender for a striker, United manager Roy Walker took Cushley off with the speedy Ormo taking his place. Andy Smith was out of luck soon after when his audacious chip just cleared the crossbar. After a spell of home pressure, the ball was passed to Ormo, who drifted past two static Glen-men, before laying the ball into the industrious Carson, who swept it into Kelbie's path and he sprinted goalwards before drilling a left foot shot past the stranded Morris. United made two more changes soon after, firstly Carson was replaced by Archie Stewart, as the home team went with four strikers and then Anderson was replaced by Taggart. Despite 5 minutes of stoppage time, it looked like United would hold out but in the 6th minute of stoppage time they finally got a goal back with a header from defender Taylor. After another two minutes the referee finally blew his whistle and United had at last recorded a victory and one that was oh so sweet!


Kerr (8), M. Smith (8), Colligan (8), Surgenor (8), Alb. Watson (8), Lockhart (80). Carson (8), (Sub: A. Stewart, 8), Anderson (8), (Sub: Taggart 8), Cushley (8), (Sub: Ormo 8), A. Smith (8), Kelbie (8),

Man of the match: Kevin Kelbie

Silly Billies!

United finished the game today with 9 men today and had nobody to blame for it only themselves, admittedly the referee was crap, aided and abetted by a linesman who, missed four barefaced offsides in the first half and who obviously leaves his guide dog behind the stand, but at the end of the day both players deserved to be sent off. United, with Albert Watson restored to their defence in place of the unfortunate Gary Haveron and with young trialist George Stewart getting the nod ahead of Ormo and Lockhart on for Taggart, were caught sleeping after 19 minutes when after a quick throw-in, the ball was worked across to Rainey and he swivelled onto his left foot before bending a shot past Sean O'Neill to put the visitors one up. Kevin Kelbie missed a glorious chance to level the scores when fed the ball by the industrious Andy Smith, but unfortunately shot straight at the Crues keeper. Young Stewart then burst onto a lovely through ball but the Crues keeper bravely threw himself at the his feet. As play continued the keeper was lying down injured and Smith intercepted the ball with his hands to stop play. After lengthy treatment the keeper was able to continue, but to the utter amazement of the home players and fans instead of a 'bounce ball' the referee gave a free kick to the visitors, the first of many miscarriages of justice. Aiden Watson was yellow carded for showing dissent after an innocuous foul and then visiting player Eamon Doherty scythed United's Lee Colligan with a vicious tackle which should have drawn a straight red card but was only yellow. Colligan was tripped once more by visiting defender Gareth McKeown, who was also cautioned for dissent and from the resultant free kick Carson found Albert Watson unmarked and he deservedly equalised with a firm header. Four minutes later the game was turned on it's head when after a decisive tackle by Surgenor on Doherty the Crues player began kicking out at the United man and also grabbed him by the throat. Home keeper O'Neill rushed from his goal and foolish pushed the Crues player, who executed a dive that Tom Daly would have been proud of. As a result the United keeper was sent off, while the instigator, Doherty got off scot free. The linesman obviously saw nothing, but then again his guide dog was tied up behind the stand after all. Defender Surgenor took over in goal for the last 5 minutes of the half, plus the paltry 2 minutes of stoppage time, when we had lost about 5 minutes due to injuries and the sending off.

United's goalkeeping coach kept Surgenor out on the pitch during the interval but surely I thought we'd have to bring on a central defender to take his place. Roy Walker however thought differently, pushing Lockhart into the back four and Kelbie onto the left wing. This was a major technical blunder, as Lockhart struggled at the back and as we all know only too well Kevin can only play upfront. Six minuted into the 2nd period Aiden Watson foolishly went in with a late tackle and the referee couldn't get the yellow card, followed by the red one out quick enough. Surely now I thought the manager will act, bringing on Archie for the struggling Lockhart but he fiddled, while we struggled. Two minutes later George Stewart came off injured with Noel Anderson taking his place, but still no change at the back. Surgenor was performing heroics in goals but the defence finally cracked when Coates headed a deep cross powerfully into the net. The United manager finally awoke from his slumbers taking off Kelbie and bringing on Archie at the back and in turn releasing the exhausted Lockhart into an overworked midfield. A short time later Cushley came on for the exhausted Lockhart and United despite being two men short, began to exert some pressure of their own. Andy Smith was harshly cautioned by the referee for a hard but fair tackle while Coates was allowed to get away with persistent fouling. With time ticking away the referee sunk to even lower depths when he gave the visitors a penalty for a blatant dive. For once justice was served as Donnelly's effort cleared the crossbar. As the final whistle went United fans surged towards the tunnel to cheer their team, jeer the opposition and barrack the referee and linesman, but at the end of the day it was another defeat and it was after all self inflicted. We have a few discipline problems and we need to sort them out sooner rather than later, or things aren't going to get any better!


O'Neill, (6), M.Smith (8), Colligan (6), Alb. Watson (7), Surgenor (8), Geo. Stewart (7) (Sub: Anderson 6,) Carson (7), Aid Watson (6), Lockhart (6), (Sub: Cushley 6, A. Smith (7) Kelbie (5) (Sub: A.Stewart 7),

Man of the match: Mark Surgenor

Andy Pandy!

United's summer signing Andy Smith contributed to the throwing away of three points against the Coleraine Scum at the 'slum' here tonight. United had just clawed their way back from a two goal deficit, when they won a penalty and up stepped Smith to blast the ball miles over the crossbar. United with one change from their starting line-up from Saturday, Kelbie for McConnell, had started brightly and only Kevin Kelby knows why he chose to try and control a Mike Smith cross on his chest instead of heading it into the net, a bad miss. Then Andy Smith, hit a 'powder puff' shot straight at 'fat Davy' O'Hare, instead of blasting it into the net. United paid a heavy price for these two misses, when they were caught out by a ball out to Stephen Carson on the left wing and Mark Surgenor failed to close the winger down and he picked out Rory Patterson, who rifled the ball into the net, to put the 'Scum' one up. Referee Davey Malcolm had already shown his biased nature by cautioning United's Mark Surgenor for an innocuous challenge, but 3 minutes after the 'Scum' had taken the lead he gave a foul after a blatant 'dive' by a home player and Patterson scored his second goal from the resultant free kick, past the unsighted O'Neill. As if this wasn't bad enough he then ignored a blatant late tackle on United Captain Gary Haveron, who had to come off as a result of his injuries, with Aaron Stewart taking his place. The Scum had a goal rightly ruled out for offside, which brought me no end of pleasure I can tell you. United stuck gamely to their task but it was hard to see where they were going to get a break from as Malcolm continued to dish out the yellow cards to the Sky Blues while ignoring the 'rough house' tactics of the home team. Despite the United physio being on the field for a 'minute and forty seconds' tending to Gary Haveron, only one minute was added on at the end of the half. In this added minute Ormo managed to get a ball in, Kelby collided with the 'Scum's' central defender and when the ball broke to United's Aiden Watson he left 'Fat Davy' helpless with a crisp right foot volley into the top corner to reduce the deficit to 2-1. 'Fat Davey' remonstrated with the referee about the allowing of this goal so much that he got a caution, the first one for the home team.

Roy Walker changed things round slightly at the start of the 2nd half, moving Aid Watson inside and Taggart onto the wing. This didn't change things a lot so after 8 minutes he took Taggart off, with George Stewart replacing him and suddenly United began to look dangerous. George seems to know no way to play it than running straight at the opposition and it finally paid dividends for United when he found Andy Smith with a delightful pass down the right. Andy, like any good striker, made for goal but his shot though hard, looked to be 'bread and butter' for any keeper. However 'Fat Davey'isn't just any keeper and he usually commits at least one gaffe when we play the 'Scum' and today was to be no exception as 'the tub of lard' allowed the ball to squirm under his body and Kevin Kelby swept the ball into the net to send United fans into raptures. Four minutes later after a delightful through ball from Kelby Andy Smith was hauled down, when clean through by the 'tub' and referee Malcolm rightly pointed to the spot. When a goalkeeper as the last man commits this offence it's usually a straight red card or at the very least a caution, referee Malcolm did neither. With United fans ready to celebrate Andy Smith ballooned the ball over the bar and handed the initiative back to the home team. United still looked the most likely team after this setback although the 'Scum' did look dangerous on the break. The United manager took off Ormo, with Cushley taking his place but they failed to find the vital breakthrough and were made to pay heavily for Smith's benevolence when Patterson completed his hat-trick with a crisp half-volley from 18 yards which caught O'Neill well off his goal-line. United piled forward in a vain attempt to get something from the game but as usual their fans were left talking about the 'one that got away'. The old adage about penalties still rings true, 'whatever you do, make the keeper earn his money', in other words, always endeavour to hit the target. United's Andy Smith failed to do this and as a result United lost their 3rd game in a row and we're still rooted to the bottom of the table, too early to panic I know, but it's getting close!

O'Neill (6), M.Smith (7), Colligan (5), Surgenor (6), Haveron (6) (Sub: A. Stewart, 7), Taggart (5) (Sub: G. Stewart, 7), Aid Watson (7), Carson (6), Ormo (6) (Sub: Cushley, 6), A. Smith (6), Kelbie(6),

Man of the match: Aiden Watson

Said it!

I was all doom and gloom last week when we lost to Cliftonville, unfortunately I had every right to be, as we capitulated to Dungannon Swifts today. Our defence seems to imagine that it's okay to allow the opposition to put crosses in, despite conceding goals when this event occurs. Surely it's time the 'penny dropped', or time the United manager gave them a good 'shake up'. Today they were slipshod in defence and outclassed in midfield, while upfront McConnell and Smith for the most part, ran about like two headless chickens. How we held out until 5 minutes before halftime I don't know, but the goal had an inevitability look about it for most of the ist half. United without the injured Paul Muir and Darren Lockhart had already allowed the home team a couple of pops at goal, one of which was a free header from Adamson, while Gary Haveron and Mark Surgenor looked on, from which the home team should've taken the lead. But as I said the goal looked inevitable from the start but it was one our defence will want to forget in a hurry. Gary Haveron allowed the home team to get in a cross from the left, then Ormo failed to close down a player and his cross was driven into the net past the stranded O'Neill by Cooney. To their credit United didn't allow this setback to ruffle them and hit back almost immediately. A good run and cross from Phillip Carson was headed clear by former United player Darren Murphy, but it fell to Andy Smith and he poked it goalwards and in the ensuing melee Nathan McConnell drove the ball into the net. Halftime was reached with the teams locked at one apiece.

Seven minutes into the 2nd period the United defence went asleep again and Ormo was again involved when he mistimed a tackle and Ryan McIlmoyle drove the ball past O'Neill, when the cross came in. United despite almost constant pressure could not find the key to unlock the home defence a 2nd time and in my opinion manager Walker delayed his substitutions for far too long. Midway through the half he finally acted, taking off McConnell and Aiden Watson and bringing on Cushley and McNeil, followed two minutes later by George Stewart for the disappointing Ormo. Alas these three replacements contributed little to the United cause,who despite winning several free kicks and lots of corners failed to force the home keeper to make a save. With a trip away to Coleraine on Tuesday night followed by a visit by the 'hatchet' men next Saturday and then a trip to the Oval on the following Tuesday, it's hard to imagine anything but 3 more defeats looming on the horizon. Roy Walker will no doubt have other ideas and his record against Coleraine as United manager speaks for itself (2 wins and a draw), but it's going to be tough to turn this lot around, really tough!

O'Neill (6), M. Smith (6), Colligan (6), Haveron (6), Taggart (5), Surgenor (6), Aid Watson (5), (Sub: Cushley 5), Carson (7), Ormo (5), (Sub: Stewart 5), A. Smith (6), McConnell (6), (Sub: McNeill 5).

Man of the match: Phillip Carson

Carson Blow!

Ballymena easily saw off The Welders in last night's County Antrim Shield tie with 4 clinical goals, the pick of which was undoubtedly Andy Smith's first competitive goal for the Sky Blues. The other goals came from Muir, Aiden Watson and Gavin Taggart a first club goal for him also. Unfortunately there was a downside to this win in the fact that Phillip Carson came off with an apparent shoulder injury and looks doubtful for Saturday's game away to Dungannon Swifts. Also on the 'debit side' we picked up 3 bookings and Aiden Watson can count himself lucky that it wasn't a red card, instead of a yellow, as he did raise his hand. United now move on to the quarter final in late September and it was pleasing to see two former members of staff in their ranks. Former goalkeeper, Dwayne Nelson, came back to deputise for Sean O'Neill, away on under-21 duty and gave a competent display including a nice dive at a forwards feet. While former Physio, George McNeely, was back looking after the 'sponge'. All in all a good night's work for the Sky Blues and it looks like we may have unearthed a new starlet in young George Stewart who entertained us with some scintillating runs when he came on as a late substitute for Paul Muir.


Nelson (7), M.Smith(7), Colligan (8), Haveron (7), Surgenor (7), Muir (7) (sub Stewart,7), Aid Watson (7), Carson (7) (sub Taggart,7) A. Smith (7), McConnell (6) (sub Cushley,7), Ormo (7)


Man of the match: Lee Colligan

Deja Vu!

United fans could be feeling a real sense of 'de ja vu' after yesterdays league opener, Cliftonville were the visitors yesterday for the first game of this seasons campaign for the Irish league Premier title sponsored by Carling, just as they were at the same stage last season when they lost by the margin of 5-1. The visitors were a little flattered on that occasion as they created five chances and scored them all. They were not as clinical yesterday as they created four chances and only scored once, but they outclassed the Sky Blues at times and already the worrying signs are there for manager Roy Walker and his charges. Only one player in the United starting line-up survived from last season's game, team Captain Gary Haveron and he was one of the few to emerge from this game with any credit. United's pre-season friendlies against first division and junior opposition must have given them a false sense of security as judging by this performance another long hard season lies ahead. The slick moving visitors took the lead after only 13 minutes, when the United defence were all at sea and goalkeeper Sean O'Neill just watched as the ball was driven past him into the net. United had a chance to draw level when Reds keeper Connolly flapped at a corner, but no-one could supply the finishing touch. The visitors should have doubled their lead soon after when their Captain Chris Scannell, looking suspiciously offside, sent his chip wide of the posts past advancing United keeper Sean O'Neill. United prompted by veteran Darren Lockhart and ex-Glen man Philip Carson attempted to get back into the game, but the uncompromising Reds defence ably backed up by some unbelievable decisions by referee Burns and his two helpers (I use the word helpers quite loosely as they were really pretty inept) held firm. Andy Smith, in his first competitive game in a Sky Blue shirt, found the target with a fierce free kick, but keeper Connolly was equal to the task. United winger Orman Okunaiya (hereafter called Ormo),suffered at the hands of an inept linesman when he flagged for an alleged shirt pulling incident, despite the United players shirt being the one being tugged. Ormo almost had the last laugh unwhen after a neat dribble he cut inside before unleasing a vicious left foot shot which sailed just wide. Referee Burns soon had to flourish a yellow card when United's Lee Colligan was 'cleaned' as he dribbled down the left. Soon after he warned United's Darren Lockhart for getting involved, but he foolishly sinned immediately after and earned himself a caution. Halftime was reached with United still trailing by the solitary goal and there was little to cheer the fans in the halftime scores as their big rivals, the Coleraine 'scum', were leading Linfield by 2-0.

United came out for the 2nd half with no changes but it was fairly obvious that soon changes would have to be made. The supposed new midfield dynamo, Gavin Teggart, looked well out of his depth, while upfront Nathan McConnell was pretty ineffective. The home team were missing striker Kevin Kelbie, serving a three game suspension and with their only striking option on the bench being young Paul McNeil, manager Walker seemed reluctant to make the change. Finally the manager did act taking off Teggart and the tiring Lockhart and bringing on David Cushley and former youth player Noel Anderson. These changes made little difference as it was still the visitors who dictated the action and Scannell missed another sitter midway through the half. Scannell had run onto a delightful through ball and as United keeper O'Neill sprinted from his goal and then miskicked his attempted clearance Scannell was left with the easy task of finding the empty net. Much to the relief of the United faithful he screwed his shot wide, yet another let off.. In one of the best moves of the game fullback Smith sprinted through the static visitors defence, but shot over the bar, not forcing Connolly to make a save. Colligan then found his way into the referee's book for a late tackle on Scannell, which the striker 'milked' to the extreme, but then escaped a booking himself when he pulled Colligan to the ground after the United man dispossessed him near the byline and attempted to clear his lines. Colligan came to his sides rescue soon after when Scannell easily outsprinted Paul Muir but Colligan got back to dispossess the Reds striker. For some strange reason Cushley, an out and out left winger, moved onto the right with Ormo popping up on the left. Ormo did mange to get to the byline, but his fierce hit cross was unable to be diverted by Carson and in fact the ball just ricocheted off his head over the goal line. Cushley drew a good save from Connolly who did well to smother the wingers shot. Cliftonville then committed the 'miss of the match' when from a driven free kick from wide on the right four unmarked players all missed making a connection with the United defence sleeping and keeper O'Neill stranded at his near post. In a last throw of the dice manager Walker took off McConnell and brought on McNeil. The young striker was full of running but by then United had resorted to a route one offence which was 'bread and butter' to the Reds defence ably marshalled by former United player Kieran Donaghy. During an added 4 minutes of stoppage time , no doubt added on for the 'blatant' time wasting of visiting keeper Connolly and his fellow players, United did spurn a glorious chance for an undeserved equaliser. Keeper Connolly advanced to the edge of his box to smother a Carson shot and as the ball broke to McNeil on the edge of the six-yard box he bleanged the ball over the bar. That was the end as far as the home team was concerned although Andy Smith did screw a vicious shot wide just before the final whistle.

Team, with ratings and subs in brackets:

O'Neill (6), M. Smith (7), Colligan (6), Haveron (7), Muir (6), Teggart (5), (sub Anderson,6), Ormo (6), Lockhart (6), (sub Cushley, 6), Carson (7), McConnell (5),(sub McNeil, 5) A. Smith (6).

Man of the match: Gary Haveron