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