Long View!

United manager Roy Walker believes we should take the 'long view' when charting United's progress and after our display at home to D.C. last week, it looked like a very 'long view' was going to be necessary. United fans also had to take the 'long view' at Shamrock Park, as they were herded into the stand behind the goals at one end of the ground. When i saw the United team sheet I was a little dismayed by the formation, at 4,5,1, leaving the Cutch to fight a lone battle upfront, but by and large it worked. The team showed six changes from last week and one positional change as Sparky returned at right-back, releasing Mike Smith into a wide right role. Dwayne Nelson was in goal in place of the injured Ryan Brown, while Denver Gage cane into the back four to partner Albert, with Archie slotting in at left-back, as Colligan was rested.

Out went Berry, Murray and Captain Gazza from midfield, with George Young, Mo McDowell and new signing Nathan Hanley, slotting in alongside Taggart and Mike Smith. Andy Smith was out with an injury, surprise, surprise and that left Cutch to plough a lone furrow up front. United took a little time to settle into their new system which entailed Mike and Mo getting up to support the Cutch, who from the start looked a lot sharper. The first real chances came to the home team and the United fans behind Dwayne Nelson's goal were happy to see first Braniff and then Leckey blast over from similar positions inside the box. Referee Turkington drew the wrath of United fans and their manager when he cautioned Taggart for merely kicking the ball back to the correct spot, when Portadown tried to take a free kick from the wrong spot.

Five minutes later he also yellow carded Albert for a trip and stopped play when the home team had a good advantage to administer the caution. Hanley was showing some good touches for the Sky Blues and when they won a a corner on the right he took it with his left foot, but the delivery was too long and it eluded everybody in Sky Blue. Mike and George (Young), were combining well down the right and won a free kick near the corner flag and Hanley went across to take it, while Mo took up a wide left position. As the ball came in it flicked off a defender's head and Mo headed it back in where Sparky towered above the Port's defence to head United into the lead. The fans were ecstatic but it would've been better if we could've seen the goal or who scored it as it was 150 yards away from our position, obviously the home announcer doesn't mention who scores opposition goals.

Taggart, who last week had been abysmal, was taking control in midfield and Cutch was starting to look dangerous up front. Five minutes after taking the lead, United deservedly doubled their advantage, when after some nice interplay between, Taggart, Mo and Hanley, the latter had his left-foot shot blocked by a Port's defender. He reacted quickly and drove a right-foot shot into the net from 15 yards. Some of the United fans actually saw this score, which in itself was a minor miracle. Turkington then cautioned United's Denver Gage for dangerous play and two mins later allowed a home player to get away with an arm on Cutch.The home team stepped up the pace a bit after this and we had a couple of lucky escapes, when Braniff headed wide when it looked easier to score and then from a corner the United defence left three men unmarked but Mouncey headed wide. Nelson was in more assured form when he came for a through ball with Leckey raising his foot, unpunished by the referee. Despite these couple of scares the Sky Blues were applauded off at halftime leading by two goals to nil.

2nd half
United made one change at for the 2nd period with Dick Gibson coming on in place of George and we reverted to a more attacking 4,4,2 system. As we had chatted at halftime we thought if we could hold them for the first 15 mins of the 2nd half we would be okay, but our defences were breached after only 6 minutes of the restart. The United defence allowed a cross to come in from the right and the unmarked Tim Mouncey made no mistake this time with a powerful header. This goal was simplicity itself and it made us a wee bit nervous I can tell you. But it was United with sub Gibson proving a handful who looked the more dangerous from there on and Albert missed with a free header from a Hanley free kick and then Mo forced a finger tip save from the home keeper with a rasping shot which we all thought was in.

On the hour mark Sparky made way for Gazza, with Mike dropping back to right-back and soon afterwards Archie should've made the points safe when he sprinted into the box after a lay-off from Gibson, but he somehow screwed his shot wide with Port's keeper Miskelly scrambling. Archie, who's not known for his overlapping skills then sprinted onto another through ball and his pass this time just eluded Cutch. We knew the third goal was coming and when it came it was a gem. United won a corner and when the ball ballooned up in the air off a Port's defender's head, Gibson cleverly headed the ball to Cutch and he gleefully headed home against his former club from six yards. We fans were of course ecstatic as we had a bird's eye view of this goal.

Mo then made way for Murray and United continued to put the home defence under pressure with some glorious flowing moves. Referee Turkington merely booked a Port's forward when he scythed down our keeper as he punched a cross away, surely a clear case for a red card. United easily held the home team at bay for the rest of the game and during the 3 added minutes were still trying to play constructive football. As the game drew to a close we were trying to remember the last time we had so convincing a victory at Shamrock Park, but decided it had been a long time, but we agreed it was almost worth waiting on!

Nelson (8), Sparky (8) (Sub: Gazza 7), Archie (7), Albert (7), Gage (8), M. Smith (7), Young (7)(Sub: Gibson 8), Taggart (8), Hanley (8), Mo (7)(Sub: Murray 7), Cutch (8)

Man of the match: Gavin Taggart