Drawn Blinds!

United manager Roy Walker made one change to his starting line-up from last Saturday, with as expected big Denver omitted, Archie moved inside, Lee back to leftback and Ryan Berry got a rare start in right midfield. Mikey, who has been the subject of transfer talk was both a villain and a hero today, one he'll want to forget and the other he'll want to cherish. The home team looked a little sluggish today and it was United who dominated the early exchanges and Murray was hacked down as he cut inside. He came closer shortly after with a right-foot shot as he cut inside, after Berry set him up. United's central defender, Albert looked as if he had no energy today, repeatedly gasping for breath, but he should've given his team the lead when he sent a free header wide from a Mikey corner when it looked easier to score.

The home team stepped up the pace a wee bit after this, aided and abetted by some weird decisions by referee Davey Malcolm. On one occasion after an attempted clearance by Archie had ricocheted off a Cliftonville player and went for a goalkick, the linesman couldn't decide what it was, so Davey gave a corner, obviously the team in possession draws no favours from Davey. Cutch and Andy Smith up front were not cutting the mustard, while Albert was struggling at the back. From a corner by the home team their central defender headed over with no United defenders in attention, poor defending. As the United keeper prepared to take the goalkick, Albert went down injured, but it was obvious he was suffering not from injury but exhaustion.

Unfortunately the United physio decided he should carry on instead of being substituted immediately, which looked like the more obvious solution. Admittedly it was close to halftime and Albert seemed okay as he tidied up after a Cliftonville raid. The fourth official had just indicated that there would be one minute of added time when disaster struck. A through ball down the left flank allowed Chris Scannell to get behind the United defence and as Archie closed him down he rolled the ball back to Caldwell whom Mikey had left unattended. The former D.C. player ghosted past the struggling Albert and shrugged off the attentions of Mikey before rifling the ball into the net as Brown attempted to close him down. United barely had time to take the centre before the referee called the first half to an end.

2nd half
As expected Albert didn't appear for the second half, so Captain Gazza came on and Sparky moved into the back four. Disaster struck after just a minute though when United failed to clear their lines keeper Brown was caught off his line and an overhead kick from Reds player Holland, bounced over the line via the crossbar. With United 2-0 down obviously a change had to be made and it looked as if Andy or the out of touch Cutch would make way for one of the Boyds or maybe both. Roy of course had other ideas and he took off Berry and brought on on-loan Aaron Boyd, with Smith dropping back to midfield and United going for a 3,5,2 formation. The introduction of young Aaron changed the whole complexity of the match and it was fitting that he played a big part in the goal which brought them back into the match.

His 'never-say-die' attitude created a chance out of nothing when he blocked an attempted clearance and the ball fell nicely for him and his pass was met by the inrushing Murray who blasted his seventh goal of the season to bring United back into the match. That goal came in the 59th minute and Boyd missed a glorious chance moments later when he failed to get his head to a Colligan cross with the goal gaping. But United weren't to be denied for long and they carved out a delightful equaliser. Cutch, who wasn't on his best game played a major role as he held off two defenders, before releasing Colligan down the left wing. Colligan sent in a dangerous cross and Mikey became the hero when he won the ball before pushing it into the net.

United were denied two good penalty claims when first Boyd and then Cutch were fouled as they burst into the box. Home keeper Connelly went down injured and the game was held up for a good four minutes while he received treatment. The home team made two substitutions and one of the players was Ronan Scannell, who later had to be carried off. Andy Smith, playing a wee bit better, attempted to block a clearance by scorer Caldwell and the player needless kicked the United man which drew an automatic red card. United fans were amazed to see the fourth official intimate that there would only be four minutes of stoppage time, when the keeper had been down for four minutes and we'd had four subs, surely a minimum of six minutes should've been allowed.

Of course it was Davey Malcolm who only earns £80 an hour and doesn't believe in unpaid overtime, obviously. During stoppage time Ronan Scannell went down injured and had to be stretchered off with what looked like ligament damage, hopefully he'll make a quick recovery. United had a chance to take all three points when they won a free kick on the edge of the box, but Caff's shot sailed over the bar and the chance was lost. Cliftonville to their credit didn't sit back on their haunches and pushed us all the way, but our defence in which Archie was outstanding held out against the home teams endeavours. I thought Walker might bring on a fresh pair of legs for the closing minutes, but obviously he was happy to draw the blinds. When the final whistle sounded the United fans applauded for a good five minutes, it was a good result, but it could've and should've been even better!

Brown (6), Mikey (8), Lee (8), Albert (6)(Sub: Gazza 7,), Archie (8), Berry (7)(Sub: A. Boyd (8), Sparky (7), Caff (7), Murray (8), Andy (6), Cutch (7)

Man of the match: Eamon Murray