Nine Three!

Nine three is how the scores stand after three league meetings between United and Portadown and hopefully there won't be a fourth, as we're aiming for a top six finish while the Ports look like being dragged into the relegation dogfight. United manager Roy Walker did as Sky Blue Sport suggested and tweaked his defence a wee bit, dropping Lee Colligan and bringing in Denver alongside Albert, with Archie moving to left back and Mikey dropping back to rightback in place of the injured Sparky. As expected Nathan Hanly returned in midfield but in a wide right position where his considerable talents are somewhat wasted. Gibbo, who had a poor game on Saturday was left out with Andy Smith getting the nod against his former team. United playing against the strong breeze were a bit slow out of the blocks and then as so often happens in football took an early lead against the run of play. Ports were penalised just over the halfway line and as Taggart's free kick came in Denver challenged visiting keeper Miskelly, who fumbled the ball and Andy Smith caught the ball on the half volley to score his first goal of the season.

I half expected referee Carvill, whom I inadvertently named as the referee in United's last game to rule the goal out, but he rightly allowed it to stand. That goal came in the 12th minute and two minutes later Carvill proved it was a complete fluke, as Andy was elbowed as he went for a high ball, but the referee administered no yellow card. United were under the 'cosh' a wee bit, but the visitors rarely troubled keeper Nelson. The Ports were taking no prisoners with their tackling but it came as no surprise when the first player booked was United's Gavin Taggart. The Ports got an undeserved equaliser after 30 mins and it should never have happened as the linesman at the Fisherwick end of the ground missed another blatant offside and United were lucky to scramble the opening away for a corner. Under severe pressure from the corner kick, Denver was adjudged to have handled the ball although it looked more like a case of ball to hand, than hand to ball, but referee Carvill gave the penalty. Nathan Hanly was booked for protesting the decision and despite Nelson diving the right way he was unable to stop Tipton's kick which crept in at his left post.

United weren't behind for long and it was winger Murray, back to his dazzling best, who won the free kick about 30 yards from goal when he was fouled. Hanly, delivered a high tantalising free kick and when the ball was nodded down Gazza's shot was blocked on the line. The follow up from Andy was also blocked but the alert Murray was on hand to notch his sixth goal of the season. Two minutes later after Archie had his legs whipped from under him by a Ports player, Hanly's carbon copy free kick just eluded the United attackers. Captain Gazza picked up a head injury which required stitches, when he was kneed in the head but his assailant got off Scot free and then Andy Smith was punched in the chest, but this only drew a yellow card, not the mandatory red. While Gazza was off the field getting sewed up United had to soldier on with 10 men, during 3 minutes of normal time and two minutes of stoppage time, bit they deservedly held out.

2nd half

United were under pressure early on in the second period as they tended to defend a bit deeply and it was obvious a change would have to be made, but we had to wait a wee while for it. Referee Carvill cautioned Andy for an alleged elbow which seemed a bit rough given that Andy had been elbowed in the first half and no action taken and later on when he was elbowed in retaliation no action was taken. With 70 minutes on the clock the substitution was made with Lee Colligan coming on for Hanly, obviously to give us a bit more defensive cover. Two minutes later Taggart received a boot in the face no action taken once more and had to come off for treatment, almost immediately Cutch went down clutching his foot and had to be substituted with Gibbo coming on and soon after with Taggart unable to continue Ryan Berry completed our replacements.

Berry, wasn't more than 3 minutes on the pitch when he found Murray in space just over the halfway line and the winger strode forward before delivering a blistering shot from 30 yards that rattled into the net past the diving Miskelly. That goal came in the 78th minute and United should've added to their tally but seemed more than happy to hold their lead and do a bit of show-boating, as they teased and tormented the visitors defence. Miskelly did however come to his sides rescue when he got his fingertips to a Gibbo shot that looked to be going in. Despite an added five minutes of stoppage time, United couldn't add to their tally, although some of their inter-passing was a real treat to watch. A much better result than Saturday's but not really a lot better performance and with some tough fixtures in the offing starting with a trip to Ballyskeagh this weekend, we need desperately to up the ante, or alternatively, step backwards!

Nelson (7), Mikey (8), Archie (7), Albert (8), Denver (7), Hanly (6)(Sub: Colligan 7,), Gazza (8), Taggart (6)(Sub: Berry 7,), Murray (8), Cutch (6)(Sub: Gibbo 7,), Andy (8)

Man of the match: Eamon Murray