Done Egal!

Today United paid their first trip to Suffolk Road (or is it Celtic Park), this season and after some 'huffing and puffing' deservedly came away with 3 valuable points. The 3-2 margin in favour of the Sky Blues (crimson reds on this occasion), didn't actually reflect the gulf between the two teams, as United missed a hatful of chances, especially in the first half and in the end were a bit lucky to take all the plaudits. The D.C., who got nothing from the game, are to be congratulated on their facilities, which are miles ahead of Newry, Portadown, Crusaders, Cliftonville, Dungannon, Distillery, Coleraine and Glentoran. In fact if they moved the dug-outs, they'd push Windsor and Mourneview down the pecking order as well, but I suppose that's taking things a bit too far.

United manager Roy Walker went back to a 4,4,2 formation, with Colligan replacing Archie in defence and Gibbo coming in at the expense of Carson. United, playing against a strong diagonal wind, looked lively early on and deservedly took the lead after 12 minutes. Nathan Hanly, who made a sensational debut at Portadown, got his 2nd goal in a United jersey, when after good work by Murray, he unleashed a half-volley from the edge of the box, which crept past the unsighted home keeper. United should and could've had this game over after half an hour such was their dominance. Two minutes after this score, Murray, who gets better with every game, skipped past his marker and drove a cross into the six-yard box, which Gibbo failed to make contact with. Five minutes later it was the turn of Cutch, who attempted an audacious overhead, which hit the side-netting, but I thought he had time to control the ball and pick his spot.

United won a free kick about 25 yards from goal after about the 10th foul by O'Hara and I wondered if referee Courtenay had any cards at all, such was his benevolence. I wondered if this move was practised on the training ground as Hanly's attempt to roll the ball to a United player instead of the normal chip into the box, went completely astray. This in turn coupled with a poor tackle set up a chance for the home team, which luckily came to nothing. With 30 minutes on the clock, only Gibbo knows how he headed over the bar, with the goal at his mercy. Cutch, not to outdone, missed another sitter, after a nice pass from Murray. The home team forced a couple of corners and when United cleared one of these up-field, Murray jinked past two defenders before ballooning a shot over the bar, maybe the pitch was a bit bumpy or am I being too kind here.

Just after Gibbo missed another chance, his shot coming off the crossbar, what we had been dreading happened. The home team swept down the field and firstly Denver tried to shepherd the ball out for a throw-in, but then needlessly put it in to touch. Then Murray played his part shepherding the ball over the by-line when his was the last touch, giving away a corner. Nelson saved their bacon for the first corner, punching the ball wide from a driven cross, but missed the next one and up popped home midfielder McNamee to head into the empty net and tie the scores level at 1-1. United had, not for the first time this season it must be said, thrown away their first-half advantage, not really the form for a team vying to finish in the top six, never mind challenging for honours.

2nd half
Worse was to happen in the 2nd period as United came out for the half in a sluggish mood, struggling to clear their lines. Sixteen minutes into the half, after failing to clear the ball, it fell to Gargin 20 yards from goal and he duly dispatched it into the net with Nelson beaten all ends up. Things looked bad for United at this stage and we knew it was going to take something special to get us back in the game. Cometh the hour, cometh the man and the man on this occasion was Eamon Murray. There seemed little danger as he skipped down the wing, but he suddenly drifted inside and from 30 yards clipped an unstoppable shot past the flat-footed home keeper, to level the scores.

That goal came in the 64th minutes and 12 minutes later United tied up all 3 points with a somewhat controversial goal. United had won a corner on the right and from Hanly's in-swinger Gibbo headed goalwards only for the home keeper to claw the ball back, but an alert linesman signalled that it had in fact crossed the goal-line and United were awarded the goal. I must say here that I couldn't rightly say if the ball had crossed the goal-line, but the linesman seemed certain and in the end we have to accept his decision. Of course the home side protested and 3 players at least were cautioned by referee Courtenay (proof that he did have cards after all), while their manager, who ran halfway down the pitch, wasn't even ticked off for leaving his area. United had been about to make a substitution but now decided to stick with the 11 who started the game.

The home team brought on all three subs and United continued to fritter away the chances, Cutch and Gibbo being the main culprits, although Hanly, after a good run passed, when surely a shot would have been more circumspect. The referee somehow found five minutes of stoppage time and even though the home team tried to subvert United to some pressure, the back four of Sparky, Albert, Denver and Lee held firm. The insurance goal never came for United but our record on the road had been enhanced once more, but it should've been a whole lot easier than it was. Three points in the bag and I'm still complaining, but it was a lot closer than it needed to be, but a wins a win, after all is said and done!

Nelson (7), Sparky (7), Colligan (6), Albert (7), Denver (7), M.Smith (7), Hanly (7), Gazza (7), Murray (8), Gibbo (7), Cutch (6)

Man of the match: Eamon Murray