Second Rate!

United, still mathematically with a chance of making the much vaunted 'top six', produced yet another almost predictable 'sub-standard' performance at the Marshes. If a stranger had entered the ground and was told that one of the two teams was chasing a victory to have any chance of a 'top six' finish, he definitely wouldn't have opted for the team in red. So inept were United that we had to wait until the 25th minute before they managed a shot on target. These sort of performances or in reality non-performances, are becoming the trade mark of manager Roy Walker's reign, why it happens is a real poser but a solution must be found if United aren't to continue to be a mediocre side.

The United manager, who must have known we were in dire need of a fairly comprehensive victory, chose to give a start to reserve player Mike Smith 2, when we surely needed the wily (if unpredictable) and 2nd top scorer, Eamon Murray in our starting line-up, but what do I know. Caff, having served his one game suspension was returned to midfield alongside Taggart, with Rory on the right, the rest of the team were on the usual lines, with Sparky continuing up front with Cutch and on-loan striker Aaron Boyd on the bench. As it turned out a United win would have been immaterial as Portadown allowed Lisburn Distillery to beat them and therefore quashed any chance of United making the top six.

The fact that our dear rivals, the Coleraine scum lost and dropped into the bottom six is of little consequence and in fact means United have two away games in their last five games, instead of the one, if Distillery had remained in the bottom half. A trip to Ballycastle Road is rarely looked forward to as it is basically a 'dump', but given our recent record there, it is by no means an anticipated event. The first half yesterday was a case of the home side frittering away several chances as the United defence continued it's benevolent nature, not marking at corners and generally being slip-shod as is their wont. Goalkeeper Ryan Brown came to their rescue with a couple of saving punches and at least one good save. Midway through the half Rory made way for Gazza, which seemed to be a purely technical switch as we went to a 3,5,2 formation.

United, completely against the 'run of play', almost broke the deadlock when Sparky got onto a poor defensive header back to keeper Coleman, but the keeper just managed to push his shot over the bar. That was really the sum of United's attacking abilities in the first half as their passing on the firm Newry pitch was at best clumsy and at worst, diabolical. On one occasion, Lee Colligan, admittedly not the best attacking fullback around, found himself clear of the Newry defence, but instead of making a bee-line for the by-line (excuse my unintended pun), he crossed immediately and the opportunity went begging. Big Denver, who got hurt near halftime was obviously in a bit of distress and a change would have to be made at the interval, but would it be a positive change or a negative one, I wondered.

2nd half
United made the change at the start of the 2nd period with Murray coming on and with two wingers on the pitch I was a bit more hopeful. We did in fact look a bit more positive but due to some woeful finishing twice hitting the side-netting through Sparky and Murray, our old failing of not converting chances to goals reared up once more. It probably would be fair to say that if United had converted half of the 'clear-cut' chances they've created this season we'd be among the top three scorers in the league, instead of in the bottom three. Cutch saw a header saved by Coleman and the keeper also clawed away a rare and beautiful thing, a Gavin Taggart shot. Caff then saw the keeper just get his fingertips to his free kick and we were thwarted once more.

As so often happens in these matters it was the home side who broke the deadlock after 73 minutes. Gazza was caught out by a through ball and Albert was left to mark Graham and McCann. As Albert went to close down Graham he found McCann with a perfect pass and he fired past the hapless Brown who then picked up a caution from referee Weatherall, but what for is anybody's guess. Roy Walker played his last ace, taking off Mike Smith 2 and bringing on, on-loan striker Aaron Boyd. It was all out attack from the Sky Blues, but the elusive goal kept eluding them. Keeper Coleman, who had been blatantly time-wasting finally drew a yellow card from the referee but continued to flaunt the official as the clock ran down.

United finally got a somewhat undeserved goal in the last minute when a Caff corner was headed in by the unmarked Boyd. Was there enough time to force an unlikely if undeserved winner I wondered, the answer of course was an emphatic no. United fans were left to wonder why Boyd didn't get to start the game or at least come on earlier as we continue to miss chance after chance in front of goals. Surely now that the quest for sixth place is over, is it possible our players will start to show their true form or am I only dreaming here, is what I've witnessed this season our true form, good one game, mediocre the next. If that is how it is, then we're set for a whole lot more frustrations in the years to come, but I fervently hope not, but stranger things happen!

Brown (6), Mikey (6), Lee (5), Denver (5)(Sub: Murray 5,), Albert (6), Rory (5)(Sub: Gazza 6,), Taggart (5), Caff (6), Mike Smith 2(Sub: A. Boyd (6), Sparky (6), Cutch (5)

Man of the match: Albert

Deceived Again!

There's an old saying that some people only flatter to deceive, this to me almost perfectly sums up the Sky Blues. Having deservedly got back on level terms at the Showgrounds yesterday with Caff's first goal in a 'man of the match' performance, they then imploded by allowing the visitors to snatch an undeserved victory. I say undeserved, but at the end of the day all you can ask of your team is to take the majority of the chances that come their way and this the visitors did, United on the other hand frittered away at least half a dozen easy chances and got what their benevolence deserved, sweet F.A.. In the absence of the suspended Albert Watson, Denver and Archie, got the central defensive nod, while Gazza replaced Taggart in midfield and Rory got the nod on the left with Murray on the bench.

United are generally slow out of the blocks, but not so yesterday as in a changed ploy they had chosen to attack the Fisherwick end first and forced a corner immediately. Caff, seemed to change tactics and drove over a powerful corner, but the only people interested in attacking it were Glens defenders. Denver came to United's rescue two mins later when, after being duped by Burrows, he recovered to block the strikers shot. The Glens took the lead in the 13th minute, when Burrows who looked offside got a cross in which Denver could only lay back to him and then when the ball appeared to cross the by-line, before being crossed (linesman still not awake), Waterworth somehow got in at the near post when keeper Brown failed to leave his line.

United were then denied by the crossbar when big Denver got his head to a Caff corner and from the rebound Cutch could only manage a 'powder puff' shot with only the keeper to beat. United were denied a cast iron penalty when referee Courtenay, failed to see Glens Jason Hill deliberately handle the ball and then somehow neither he nor his linesman saw the same player going in 'over the top' on United player Ryan Berry. At the other end keeper Brown saved well when Burrows again was allowed to continue by the sleeping linesman, but Brown redeemed himself with a good stop. Carson was then denied by a combination of Nixon's hand and Morris's body with a shot from a tight angle and his appeals for a penalty fell on referee Courtenay's deaf ears. The visitors doubled their lead when United's most consistent player Mikey, committed a major gaffe. In attempting to stop the ball going for a corner he foolishly drove it across his own goalmouth and Nixon's header was dispatched by Waterworth to make the score 2-0.

Despite these two setbacks United continued to strive for an equaliser but couldn't find a telling pass to unlock the visitors defence. With time running out in the first half United won a corner on the right and Gazza's header appeared to be handled on the line, but luckily Sparky was on hand to reduce the leeway to 2-1. There was just time to take the centre before referee Courtenay blew his whistle for halftime and united were deservedly cheered off while it was hoped that the linesman at the Warden street end would continue with his slumbers in the second half.

2nd half
Gazza, always the scapegoat, made way for Murray in the 2nd half as United strove to get back on level terms. They missed a glorious chance to level things when Archie screwed his shot wide after Denver had won a header form a Caff corner. Cutch missed another good chance when he shot straight at the keeper, when it looked easier to score. United looked vulnerable at the back where keeper Brown is reluctant to leave his area and therefore defenders are under pressure to clear the ball and the Glens attempted to exploit this weakness with constant long balls over the top. With 62 mins on the clock, Rory made way for McAreavey and he added some 'beef' to our midfield and came close with a free kick which ballooned off the Glens defensive wall. Cutch was then denied by an acrobatic save by Morris, after good work by Caff and Murray.

After a good passage of play when Berry fed the ball to Mikey and his cross was teed up for Sparky, United's utility man somehow failed to find the target, a bad miss. Ryan Berry then made way for local boy Mo as United continued to probe for the equaliser. Justice was finally done when Caff's free kick took a slight deflection on it's way into the net to bring the home crowd to their feet. This goal however instead of giving United a lift, seemed to have the opposite effect and they allowed the visitors to take up the cudgel. After some pressure, when the United defence spurned several chances to clear the ball and Ryan Brown failed to come for a couple of easy clean-ups, Glens stole the points from a set-piece. Denver failed to clear the ball properly and from the resultant throw-in the United defence dithered and sub Steele drove the ball into the net to wrap up the points.

Yet again United had failed at home in a game they should've got something out of and when I think about the programme notes for our last two games (chairman today, manager the week before), admonishing fans for their derogatory comments, I think somehow their energies would be better deployed trying to find why we are so crap at home. We have the most loyal, no let's rephrase that we are the most loyal, long suffering supporters in the six counties and for first our manager and then the chairman to degrade us in such a manner is way beyond the pale. Surely they'd be better employed in trying to keep our best players at the Showgrounds and finding out why we appear to be uninterested at times especially at home, in short you do your jobs and you'll get no complaints from us!

Brown (5), Mikey (5), Colligan (6), Archie (6), Denver (6), Berry (6)(Sub: Mo 6,), Caff (8), Gazza (6)(Sub: Murray 6,), Rory (7)(Sub: McAreavey 7,), Cutch (5), Sparky (7)

Away Delights!

United got back to winning ways with this narrow, but fully merited victory over Lisburn Distillery. The scoreline was 1-0, but it really wasn't as close as that, thanks to several good saves from Whites keeper Billy Brennan and wasteful finishing from United players. Main culprit for United was top scorer Cutch, who definitely should've had a hat-trick, but it's hard to be critical of the 'wee' man as he scored the vital only goal. Manager Roy Walker restored big Denver to central defence, Colligan to left back, Murray to left midfield and Berry to right midfield. Sparky moved up front to partner Cutch and had probably his best game of the season, nice to see you back on form son.

United, superbly marshalled at the back by stand-in Captain, Albert, took the game to the home team from the outset and looked destined to get an early lead. The first real chance fell to Caff, who improves with every game, but he delayed his shot which was then blocked. Then Cutch set up Sparky but he chose to go for the narrow gap and hit it into the grateful arms of keeper Brennan. Referee Hetherington and not former United player Dessie Loughrey as advertised, denied United a cast iron penalty when Cutch was 'cleaned' in the box and surely if it wasn't a penalty Cutch should've been cautioned for simulation, which he wasn't. Cutch then somehow failed to score when a delightful Colligan cross was headed back to him by Sparky, although Brennan did well to save, but should've had no chance.

In a rare attack by the home team, United keeper Ryan Brown, calmed his defenders nerves by coolly plucking the ball out of the air, that's more like it Ryan I thought to myself. Referee Hetherington then committed another gaffe when as Cutch broke clear he was confronted by keeper Brennan who had rushed from his goal. As Cutch attempted to chip the keeper, he clearly handled the ball, an automatic red card, but the referee allowed play to continue. Two minutes later, Sparky, so dominant in the air, found Cutch unmarked and the wee man's first time shot was palmed for a corner by Brennan (who by now shouldn't have been on the pitch if the referee had done his job properly). Despite their dominance United had to settle for a scoreless first half, but we 'loyal' fans, were still hopeful of getting a result, B.P. take note.

2nd half
Disaster struck for United just moments into the 2nd period when Lee Colligan, back to his best, had to retire with an injury and was replaced by Gazza. This curtailed United's forward thrust down the left wing and when the Whites brought on a more mobile winger to put pressure on Gazza, manager Walker switched Berry to the left and Murray to the right. Murray, who had been 'quiet' up to that point, suddenly was back to his best and began torturing the Whites defence. I had been somewhat fearful before this game of two Ballymena old boys in the Whites line-up, Aaron Callaghan and David Cushley, but on this showing both would struggle to get in our reserve team. In fact Cush only once managed to break the stranglehold Mikey had on him, but Mikey (obviously warming up for his trial with Kilmarnock), recovered his ground easily despite giving Cush a 5 yard start and made a great and fair tackle.

With Murray and Mikey, what a combination, teaming up down the right, the Whites were really under the cosh. The pressure finally told when after a corner won by Murray, was returned to Caff, he then found Cutch at the far post with a top level pass and despite Brennan's despairing dive, the wee man headed United in front. That goal came in the 64th minute and two minutes later it should've been two, when former United player Callaghan, messed up and presented the ball to Cutch who weaved past him and then with the goal at his mercy completely miskicked and the chance went begging. Former United manager Tommy Wright (who ran out on the Sky Blues almost 3 years ago, a real critter of a quitter), took off the Cush but his replacement made little or no difference.

The much feared and respected Glenn Ferguson looked every day of his 41 years and surely the signs are there that he's truly spiked, past his sell by date. His one and only chance was a feeble attempt at an overhead kick, which fell into the arms of United keeper Ryan Brown, powder puff stuff. With 13 minutes left Ryan Berry, made way for Ballymena boy George Young, as United decided to close the game out. Despite the home team throwing everybody up at every opportunity, throw-ins, free kicks,the United defence held firm, with Albert and Gazza leading by example. During the 3 added minutes Rory came on for Murray and Ryan Brown was harshly booked for alleged time wasting. This booking was especially harsh as there are no ball boys at Ballyskeagh and goalies have to do their own ball retrieving which takes time. Still nothing could take away from United's deserved victory, we don't have home 'comforts', so let's just enjoy our away 'delights'!

Brown (7) Mikey (8), Lee (8)(Sub: Gazza 7,), Albert (8), Denver (7), Berry (7)(Sub: Young 7,), Taggart (6), Caff (8), Murray (7)(Sub: Rory 6,), Sparky (8), Cutch (7)

Man of the match: Marky 'Sparky' Surgenor

Nailer Gazza!

Rumour has it that United manager Roy Walker decided to call it a 'day' after last Saturday's capitulation to D.C.. Seemingly he only decided to stay on after some senior players persuaded him to change his mind. Surely Captain Gazza must have been one of those men, I think, but tonight by a strange quirk of fate, the ever loyal Gazza put the final nail in Roy's coffin. With barely 2 mins on the clock Gazza's attempted header back to his keeper fell at the feet of Crues striker Jordan Owens who blasted it into the net to give the visitors an early lead. This was the worst possible start for a 'makeshift' United side, with Andy Smith and Sparky dropped, there were starts for McAreavey and McCaughern while Taggart started in place of the suspended Gage.

Referee Steven Weatherall was at his most inept when after Caff was adjudged to have fouled a Crues player, the stupid referee admonished United's Lee Colligan instead. When the error of his ways was pointed out to him he exacted revenge on United by awarding the Crues a penalty from the resultant free-kick, cautioning McAreavey in the process. Coates, who had been the fouler, tugging McAreavey's jersey, scored from the spot to give the visitors an undeserved 2-0 lead. Worse was to follow when United mounted a counter attack, as McAreavey out-jumped Coates to a high ball, the yellow Crues player screamed as if he had been felled and the referee immediately cautioned McAreavey which being his second offence meant he was sent off. I'm certain any cameras, if there were any in the ground, will show no contact was made and that Coates conned the referee.

This ended the match as a contest and United to their credit didn't lose their discipline although they did pick up several other bookings, while Coates elbowed Sparky who came on as a sub in the 2nd half, but no action was taken, just a free kick awarded. This is the 2nd time referee Weatherall has over-reacted and sent a United player off this season and surely it's high time for United officials to let the I.F.A. know he's unwelcome at the Showgrounds. Roy, as seems to be his wont at the moment only used two subs, bringing on Sparky at halftime for Caff and then Rory for McCaughern. McCaughern wasn't the worst player by any means, as both Gazza and Taggart were badly out of touch.

Gazza was caught out again late in the 2nd half when he missed a tackle and Morrow ran through to steer the ball past the hapless Brown and give the visitors a totally undeserved 3-0 lead. United were poorly served up front by Cutch, who is just going through the motions at the moment and needs to start scoring goals again. He actually jumped for a ball tonight and won it, which is something anyway. Maybe if he challenged a wee bit more, we might get something out of games and not the sweet F.A. we're getting at the moment. Strange as it may seem all is not lost as far as a top six spot is concerned, but now we need a miracle or is it an impossibility. There's an old saying that goes, 'miracles happen every every day, the impossible just just takes a little longer' amen to that!

Brown (7), Mikey (7), Archie (6), Albert (7), Gazza (4), McCaughern (6)(Sub: Carson 5,), Caff (5)(Sub: Sparky 5,), Taggart (4), Colligan (6), Cutch (5), McAreavey (5)

Man of the match: Mikey Smith