Ram Raided!

The ironic thing about last night's game is that the main talking point was not about a good game, but about the abject performance of Antrim referee Alan Black. Not only did he send United's Chris Ramsay off for a foul that merited merely a booking, he then sent a second United player off for allegedly taking a dive. United had clawed themselves back into the match at this stage and were looking the more likely winners, when referee Black pulled his 'dirty trick'. What we have done to this man whose father is a Ballymena native I don't know, but he seems determined to make us pay a very heavy price. United manager Roy Walker had rung the changes after Saturday's defeat, with a back four of Ramsay, Albert, Archie and Colligan. A midfield four of Mike Smith, Carson, Anderson and Captain Gary Haveron, with Surgenor in an unfamiliar striking role alongside Kevin Kelbie.

Disaster struck for United almost immediately when Coleraine striker Patterson at least 2 yards offside broke down the right. He squared the ball into the middle and Sean O'Neill had a chance to retrieve the situation, but instead of diving on the ball he tried to catch it but it slipped from his grasp and Boyce had the easy task of finding the net. Put that one down to Linesman and goalkeeper error. United didn't allow this setback to get them down and drove at the Scum, but their finishing let them down on two occasions, Surgenor blasting wide when well placed after a Colligan run and then Carson drove well wide from in front of goals. with 20 minutes on the clock Anderson forced Fat Davey O'Hare into a fingertip save.

With 22 minutes on the clock United suffered a 2nd disaster, when Lee Colligan hit the ball too far in front of himself and in his attempt to retrieve the situation caught a Coleraine defender and had to be carried off. This meant David Cushley coming on and United having to shuffle the whole team, with Ramsay moving inside to release Archie to left back and Smith coming back to right back. United continued to press forward looking for an equaliser with the home team relying on the occasional break. With 31 minutes on the clock Ramsay was left one-on one with Patterson and instead of taking the easy option and finding touch he tried to beat him lost possession and then 'chopped' his legs from him. Yes it was a bad foul, but no-one could believe it when Black flourished the red card.

Still United wouldn't lie down and they continued to take the game to the home team and then referee Black showed his biased nature. Kevin Kelbie eluded his marker on the wing and then when he ran towards the penalty area he was 'chopped' down, despite giving the free Black flourished no red card for this cynical tackle. Gary Haveron, Carson, Cushley and Anderson were the driving force behind Kelby as Surgenor had gone back to help out in defence and these four guys all played their socks off and were a credit to themselves and the team. Halftime was reached with no further scoring but two more United men, Albert and Surgenor, were booked for innocuous tackles. Referee Black's inept performance was summed up just before the whistle when after the 'fat O'Hare' clearly punched the ball for a corner, he ignored it and gave a goalkick.

United continued where they left off in the first period but despite forcing a couple of corners couldn't get the vital breakthrough, with big Gary heading one wide. Referee Black ignored a 'blatant' elbow on United's Phillip Carson and when Anderson pointed this out to him he flourished another yellow card seemingly for dissent. Two minutes later he ignored a 'dive' by Coleraine's Carson in the United penalty box. Fifteen minutes into the half and United got their just rewards, when an Anderson through ball was back-heeled by Kelbie into Cushley's path, the young Shankill Road lad blasted it past the 'fat O'Hare' and into the net to level the scores.

United continued to take the game to the scum but it was hard to see where they were going to get a winner from. It was obvious somebody was going to have to do something special and Noel Anderson it was who assumed this mantle. Driving through the centre of the park he skipped past three tackles before being tripped up by a boot in his thigh. Referee Black who was close by decided otherwise, cautioned Anderson for diving, which was a 2nd yellow and sent him off. We were dumbfounded and Anderson kept protesting his innocence but Black just ignored him. The whole team's heads dropped then and the scum got a couple of cheap goals to tie up the points.

Fat O'Hare goaded the United fans behind his goal who responded by throwing a couple of plastic bottles, but they were nowhere near him and he continued with his goading nonetheless. Carson and Kelbie were replaced by first McNeil and then youngster Lee Cattersley. In the 3 minutes of added time United could and should've got a consolation goal when the 'Cush' found himself unmarked and 'fat O'Hare' stranded but he headed meekly over the bar. The United heroes were richly applauded off the pitch, while referee Black was booed and definitely will not be on any popularity polls in Ballymena.

O'Neill (6), Ramsay (5), Alb Watson (8), Archie (8), Colligan (6)(Sub: Cushley 8), M.Smith (8), Carson (8)(Sub: McNeill 7), Haveron (8), Anderson (9), Surgenor (7), Kelbie (8)(Sub: Cattersley 7)

Man of the match: Noel Anderson

Roy's Surrender!

United manager Roy Walker might as well have waved a white flag with his team selection at the Oval today. If today's selection was an example of what we can expect between now and the end of the season, then we may get ready for the first division. We picked a team with a lone striker, Kevin Kelbie upfront, with a five man midfield, minus Gary Haveron and we never made a match of it in the first half. Glentoran cantered through our defence at will and if it hadn't been for O'Neill in nets, who made three tremendous stops we could have been six down at halftime. Roy made two changes to his starting line-up of Tuesday night, out went Captain Gary Haveron and Archie and in came Anderson and the Cush. We have played the Glens twice this season and on both occasions we got into them and they didn't like it, today we gave them the freedom of the Park.

We were so bad we never even got a shot on target during the whole 90 minutes and the only player who got any shots at goal was the Cush. Albert and Ramsay, who had been rock solid on Tuesday night, were at sixes and sevens all day and I knew it was only a matter of time before they scored. We somehow survived the first 15 minutes, with O'Neill making a good stop and then being rescued by the post from a Hamilton shot. Then in the 17th minute Ramsay failed to close down Hamilton and he passed to the unmarked Gillespie who fired a low shot into the net. Surely I thought Roy would see the error of his ways and change the formation, but of course he didn't. Referee Adrian McCourt was his usual inefficient self allowing the home team to get away with late tackles while punishing us for 'winning' the ball.

O'Neill, who had given away a silly corner when he dithered with a back-pass, pulled off a smart save to keep the score at 1-0. He then made a gaffe when pushing a Hamilton shot round the post which appeared to be going wide. Albert went down injured at this point but refused treatment and the corner was taken. When the corner came over a home player fouled Ramsay who could only put the ball out for another corner, which the biased McCourt gave of course. When this corner came over our defence stood and watched as Glens forward Burrows headed them into a two goal lead. Worse still Albert had to come off with Archie taking his place, but no change to the negative formation. Locky who defies his years week in and week out, created an opening for himself at the other end, but his cross-cum-shot was clutched out of the air by the Glens keeper.

We actually had a wee spell of pressure on them at this stage but it was only a short reprieve and we failed to take advantage of the situation. The home team wrapped up the points in the 40th minute when Lee Colligan shepherded the ball over the goal-line when it was obvious one of our players got the last touch, a silly mistake. Then from the resultant corner Hamilton was left unmarked at the back post and he volleyed the ball into the net. We somehow managed to survive to halftime and I thought surely Roy will act, by taking off any two from Carson, Aid Watson and Anderson and see if we can salvage something from the game, maybe a bit of pride if nothing else.

Roy did make a substitution at the start of the 2nd half, bringing on Haveron, but to my utter surprise he took off Locky, who was probably the pick of our midfielder's. This made no discernible difference as far as I could see and even when he later took off Aid Watson and brought on McConnell it helped none at all. The 2nd half was summed up for me by one move when Kelbie and McConnell found themselves on a 'two to one' situation and all Nathan had to do was chase the pass down and square it to Kelbie. It was Nathan's ball all the way, but at the last minute he 'chickened out' and the chance was lost, I think I said a bad word.

This display by United wasn't anywhere near good enough and if they continue in this vein then relegation will become an all too real possibility. I know they had a tough match on Tuesday night, but there's going to be a lot of midweek games from now on and that excuse won't put any points on the board. The time has come Roy to put up, or if you can't stand the heat, to get out of the kitchen!


O'Neill (7), M. smith (6), Colligan (6), Ramsay (5), Alb Watson (5)(Sub: Archie 6),
Aid Watson (5)(Sub: McConnell 4), Carson (5), Anderson (5), Locky (6)(Sub: Haveron 6), Cushley (6), Kelbie (6)

Man of the match: Sean O'Neill

Zero Hero!

United goalkeeper Sean O'Neill was my man of the match against Ards on Saturday and even though he had another superb game last night, it was a United veteran who took the plaudits in a narrow one nil victory. Albert Watson has been at the Showgrounds all his playing days and last night was his best game and when Captain Gary Haveron was substituted he rightly passed the armband to big Albert. Albert made many crucial tackles and clearances and also gave probing passes to his forwards, an all round polished performance. United manager Roy Walker surprised us all with his team selection out went Surgenor, replaced by Ramsay who slotted in to central defence alongside Albert, with Archie switching to left back. , Cushley was replaced by Colligan who moved up to left-midfield, with Carson slotting in to centre-midfield alongside Haveron and Aiden Watson coming on in right-midfield. Locky was then pushed upfront alongside Kelby at the expense of McConnell, a strange formation indeed.

The first half was mainly one of Gary Haveron 'misses' as the United Captain dominated the set-pieces, without ever finding the target. Five minutes into the game and Carson delivered a superb free kick and big Gary rose majestically, headed the ball downwards (as all the experts say you should), but unfortunately for Gary and United, it bounced up and over the crossbar. Ards threatened a couple of times and United defended desperately failing to clear their lines adequately, bringing ever more pressure on themselves. The swirling wind was playing havoc at times especially with crossfield balls and this didn't help the games flow. Also, as on Saturday, the visitors tackling wasn't the prettiest and United won a few free kicks, but despite a couple of good deliveries from Carson big Gazza missed the target twice with his head and then when Carson was taken down near the edge of the box, his free kick cannoned off the defensive wall for a corner.

Lee Colligan was getting some rough treatment from the visitors also and referee Courtney finally lost patience and booked an Ards player. Archie played a good pass to Kelbie who released Locky through the middle but unfortunately the ball just got away from the stand-in striker. At the other end Albert made a timely interception as the visitors attempted to unlock the home defence. Mike Smith and Aiden Watson linked well down the right but couldn't manage to get a telling cross in and a Carson shot failed to trouble the keeper. Just before halftime United missed a glorious opening when after an Ards corner had been cleared, Kelbie failed to see the unmarked Colligan and the chance was lost.

United really stepped up the pressure in the second period but couldn't find that vital pass to unlock the resolute Ards defence. Fifteen minutes into the half manager Walker acted, taking off his central-midfield pairing, Carson and Haveron and bringing on McConnell and Anderson. Anderson paired up in central-midfield with Locky and big Nathan went up front with Kelbie. It seemed a strange move to me taking off Carson and Haveron, who were both playing well, but then again, 'what the hell do I know' about football management. Big Nathan had an early chance to make an impact but the ball seemed to get stuck beneath his feet. This didn't deter the big man and he later sped down the wing but his cross eluded everybody, it was just too good.

Locky then threatened to put the issue beyond doubt with a great run through the middle, but instead of shooting he passed to Kelbie, who was the most surprised man in the ground and the chance went abegging. Finally 'Rip Van' Roy awoke from his slumbers and brought on 'the Cush', taking Aiden Watson off and then we begun to look dangerous. The Cush was involved in almost everything from then on as he sought to show his manager why he should've been on from the start. In the last ten minutes of normal time United went looking for a goal and Chris Ramsay was denied by the woodwork when he got his head to a Cushley corner. Ards had a couple of threatening runs, but the United defence led by 'Prince Albert' held firm. Right at the end of ninety minutes Albert in fact almost snatched it when his shot at a corner just skimmed the post.

Suddenly we were into extra time or were we, we wondered as the teams left the pitch, but it must have been just for 'comfort breaks' as they were soon back out. Would our superior fitness (three nights training pay-off I wondered) and just where could we get a goal from. Kevin Kelbie was not having the best of games, but as they say, 'form is temporary, but class is permanent' and so it proved. Chris Ramsay carried the ball out of defence finding Kelbie on the halfway line and the 'flying Scotsman' took off on a diagonal run, laid the ball off to his strike partner big Nathan, took a return pass and rifled the ball into the net. It wasn't the 'best' goal he's ever scored but it was pretty special. This was Kevin's 8th goal of the season and keeps his remarkable career scoring ratio of a goal every 3 games going (one every two games he's started this season) and long may it continue.

In the 2nd period of extra time United created two glorious chances to wrap the game up, first kelbie burst past keeper McDonald but his goalbound shot was cleared off the line by a defender and then right at the end McConnell was left unmarked in the six-yard box and McDonald somehow managed to save what looked like a certain goal. Sandwiched in between these two efforts was a Cushley shot from a short free kick rolled to him by Locky which McDonald somehow squeezed past the post. Chris Ramsay went down with severe cramp but bravely soldiered on to the end. McDonald came up for a corner which caused some panic in the home defence as referee Courtney played every last second of time. Finally the whistle sounded and United were in the next round, but only just. Hopefully come May as we bring home the Irish cup, we'll be saying, 'do you remember that sitter Ards missed in the first round'? We can only believe!




O'Neill (8), M. Smith (7), Archie (6), Alb. Watson (8), Ramsay (7), Aid Watson (6), (Sub: Cushley 7, ), Carson (7), (Sub: McConnell 7,), Haveron (7)(Sub: Anderson 7,), Colligan (7), Locky (7), Kelbie (7)


Man of the match: 'Prince' Albert Watson

Nothing Doing!

United failed in their bid to get to the next round of the Irish cup today, failed miserably I might add and are decidedly lucky to still be in the competition. In fact if it hadn't been for the heroics of 'man of the match' Sean O'Neill in the United goal, they wouldn't be still in the competition. In the enforced absence of central defender Chris Ramsay and Aiden Watson, through suspension, manager Walker gave a starting role to club Captain Gary Haveron, his first taste of first team action since breaking his leg against Coleraine back in mid-August. He also gave Mark Surgenor a game at rightback, allowing Mike Smith to take up a wide right role.

United were the better team in the first half and did create a few openings, but they couldn't find that final shot to beat Ards keeper Andy McDonald. Kevin Kelbie came closer than most midway through the half, when his half volley cannoned off the keepers chest, but before a United forward could react he dived on the loose ball. Numerous other chances were spurned by the wasteful Sky Blue players, failing to find the target with free headers was a prime example. Ards showed how it should be done near halftime when in a simple move their rightback swept up-field, slung over a cross and their number 9 killed the ball before shooting narrowly over the bar. United fans breathed a collective sigh of relief.

United manager Roy Walker outlined his hopes for the coming season and one of the things he wanted was a player, who when things were not going well, could pop-up and score a vital goal, alas that player has not yet been found and he was badly missed today. Ards came out with renewed confidence in the 2nd period and United were indebted to keeper O'Neill who saved their collective blushes when he pushed a goalbound shot for a corner. United failed to clear the ball from this corner and were indebted to Albert Watson for a timely block. United continued to fritter away the chances in the second half, a Cushley shot that missed the target, Kelbie driving the ball over with his right foot and Locky just failing to get a final touch when running through.

It was obvious changes were going to have to be made, but as usual they surprised me to say the least. The United manager decided on a double substitution taking Mark Surgenor off which was understandable, with George Stewart taking his place and Mike Smith switching to right back. The other substitution wasn't so predictable with Cushley, who admittedly not at his best, but a potential match winner, making way for Phillip Carson. It did almost prove to be an inspired substitution however as Carson's shot from 20 yards forced McDonald into a finger tip save at the expense of a corner. Stewart on the other hand was a complete flop as he frittered the ball away every time he got it and was a liability we could ill afford. Twelve minutes from the end Ards almost scored when O'Neill somehow managed to stop a goalbound shot with his foot when the United defence had been undone once more.

In a last throw of the dice United took off McConnell and brought on McNeill, but although the big reserve striker put himself about a bit, United couldn't find the telling pass to unlock the Ards defence. In fact the visitors created and missed the best chance of the game when one of their players missed an open goal with the United defence at sixes and sevens. United are still in the Irish cup, but only just and now face a tricky replay away to Ards at their temporary home, Dixon Park Ballyclare, where incidentally United triumphed last season against the Comrades. This is the time for the players to stand up and be counted, otherwise the season will end here as so many have, in utter despair!


O'Neill (8), Surgenor (6) (Sub: Stewart 5,), Colligan (6), Alb Watson (7), Archie (6), M. Smith (7), Lockhart (6), Haveron (7), Cushley (6) (Sub: Carson 6,), McConnell (6) (Sub: McNeill (6),), Kelbie (6)

Man of the match: Sean O'Neill