Ally's Answer!

The Sky Blue Sport teams were long and loud in their match preview about Ally Teggart's influence on this afternoon's game and he didn't disappoint us. Not only was he influential in attack, linking up with Archie, but when the chips were down due to the harsh sending off of Cookie, he slotted in at leftback as if he had played there all his life. This was a match that United should've won comfortably, I alone counted 7 clear-cut chances in a one-sided first half and due to the sending off, they were left to defend in depth in the last 20 minutes of normal time and the four minutes referee Heatherton saw fit to add on. United manager Roy Walker made two changes to his starting line-up from last Saturday, Rodgers for Watson and the fit again Wayne Drummond for Nelson.

United attacking the Fisherwick end forced a corner in five minutes, Ally took the kick,the Whites defence failed to deal with it and Captain Jenks muffed his shot at the back post, a real let-off for the visitors. Two minutes later Cutch got a sight of goal and from 25 yards tested Brennan in the visitors goal, but he was equal to the task. Then from another Ally corner, delivered with precision, Baker headed over with the goal at his mercy. Cutch was next to try his luck when a Whites defender forced him onto his left-foot, but Brennan was equal to his blistering shot, albeit at the second attempt. Then we were treated to a delightful piece of football, as Ally and Archie, combined down to left and Archie's cross found Baker, but the striker steered his shot wide.

Curtis Woods not to be outdone was doing some overlapping down the right and was ever mindful of the fact that he had Downey playing in front of him and he tended to put his crosses over too early instead of getting to the byline and cutting the ball back. From a corner on the right, won by Curtis's blocked cross, Ally delivered another gem and when the ball was played out to him again, he found Baker lurking at the far post and with the goal at his mercy and needing a touch, Jordan tried to blast it and put it wide. I said to a a fellow fan that I fervently hoped we wouldn't pay for this wastefulness in front of goal and in a rare breakaway, old boy David Cushley, saw his shot blocked by Woods, a warning.

For the rest of the half United tending to over-elaborate, playing some nice football in the process, but it was taking 12 passes to get an opening and the visitors weren't that good. The linesman at the Fisherwick did us no favours when Jenks was tripped in the box, a clear penalty and later on there was a deliberate handball ignored by the referee, Then when Jenks won the ball at the halfway line and fed Cutch, the wee man was blatantly scythed down by a Whites defender, the referee waved play on as we had possession, but when the move came to nothing I fully expected the visiting player to get a caution, but the referee took no action. Luckily Cutch was able to continue after treatment, but he limped for a few minutes after that. Halftime was reached with the score still level at 0-0 and I was wondering if our manager would bring on the fit again Aaron Boyd in the 2nd period for the misfiring Baker.

2nd Half
United took the field with the same personnel, but it was obvious there would have to be a change made and 15 minutes after the restart Downey made way for Eamon Murray. Suddenly we looked dangerous, with Murray and Woods combining well down the right and Eamon looking like his old self. The linesman at the Fisherwick end started brightly, flagging two times in succession for offsides, but then missed another two, before getting another one right, but I was getting worried. David Cushley, had been late in tackling a couple of times, one on Archie in the first half was particularly vicious and he continued in this vein in the second half. When he went in rather clumsily on Cookie Munster, the United defender remonstrated with him and Cushley dived like he had been hit by lightening. The upshot was that referee Heatherton booked Cushley and red-carded Cookie, for reacting to a vicious tackle.

I, in my pessimism thought that was that, but from the resultant free kick, Murray sent Woods away down the right, he got to the byline and crossed and the goal machine, Cutch, took the ball on his chest, before drilling his shot in the visitors net to put United a goal up. The visitors took off Larmour and brought on Ligget, hoping to get something from the match and the linesman missed another off-side in the build-up of a move, but Ligget headed in to the grateful arms of Drummond in the United goal. United took off Cutch and brought on Boyd and his fresh legs gave the visiting defence something to think about. In fact his persistence nearly paid off when the visitors were lucky to get the ball away and when Murray tried to volley the loose ball it ballooned away across pitch much to the amusement of the home fans.

Ally moved back into leftback as Archie moved into the centre and he played as if he had been playing that position all his days. His reading of the game was superb and he combined well with Murray and Boyd down the left. From a corner he won Jenks was unlucky to see his header flashed past the post. Referee Heatherton saw fit to book Jenks for delaying the game and Drummond for time-wasting and if that wasn't enough he added 4 minutes of stoppage time. The visitors threw everything in to attack and manager Walker took Baker off and replaced him with Gavin Taggart. I was always fearful the visitors would nick one and when Cushley was allowed to get his cross in for Ligget to score the linesman's flag come to our rescue. Despite a few scares we saw out the remainder of the match to record our first home win of the season and it sets us up very nicely for the trip next Saturday to play the Coleraine scum!

Drummond (7), Woods (7), Archie (7), Cookie (6), Rodgers (7), Downey (5)(Sub: Murray 7,), Sparky (7), Jenks (6), Ally (8), Baker (5)(Taggart 6,), Cutch (8)(Boyd 7,)

Man of the match: Ally (Alan Taggart)

Jordan Joy!

For the 2nd week running United and their fans made the journey to Seaview, not to take on Crusaders, but their ground sharing tenants, Carrick Rangers. For the 2nd week running we were herded into the stand at the Shore Road end, because 5 Rangers fans wanted to sit in their new stand which was the terracing on the City side of the ground for many, many years. Now the Sky Blue Sport's team abhorrence at watching a match from behind the goals is well documented and we believe we're right in saying the majority of all Sky Blue supporters feel the same way. So legislators take note, if clubs persist with this draconian attitude, we'll take draconian measures, you have been warned.

Now that I've got that off my chest onto much more serious things, United had to make three changes from their starting line-up of last Saturday. Nelson in goal for Drummond, Watson in defence for Vauls and Baker in attack for Boyd. The first half was a nonentity, with both teams being unable to play constructive football on the bouncy surface and windy conditions. The pattern of play was very predictable, the keepers would hump the ball up-field and the forwards would fight for possession of the ball. Carrick missed a glorious chance to take the lead, when Watson was beaten easily on the wing and Stephen O'Neill was denied by the woodwork with Nelson clutching at straws. At the other end Cutch missed a sitter when he was set up by Jenks, with only the keeper to beat, he lifted his shot over the bar.

When we won free-kick at the right-side of the box, it looked tailor made for Ally's left-foot, but Cutch took it and Valko tipped it over the bar for a corner. The corner was taken by Ally and Cookie was unlucky to see his header come back off the bar. Jordan Baker, who hasn't scored since his second goal of the match at the D.C. gave United all three points, way back at the end of August, didn't look like breaking his duck in this match and I was left to wonder if the manager would make make one or two substitutions in the halftime interval.

2nd half
United took the field with the same eleven and upped the pace right from the start of the half. Their pressure told in the 50th minute when after a great dribble by Ally, Archie following up behind picked up the loose ball and squared it to Baker on the edge of the box. Jordan turned on the proverbial sixpence and rifled ball past Valko to give the Sky Blues the lead. As if that wasn't bad enough for Carrick they lost their influential central defender Davey McAlinden shortly afterwards. In the 60thminute, Ally swung over a corner from the right and Cutch stole in at the far post to notch his 15th goal of the season and give United a two goal cushion. Despite dominating the game United couldn't add to their tally and the defence dealt capably with the 'home' team's attempt to get back into the game.

Nelson (7), Woods (6), Archie (7), Cookie (7), Watson (5), Downey (6), Sparky (7), Jenks (7), Ally (8), Cutch (7), Baker (8)

Man of match: Jordan Baker

Santa Gary!

So often the hero, Cutch became the villain when he missed a 79th minute penalty which would have given United at least a share of the spoils. I have no doubt in my mind that referee Crangle gave this spot-kick to go some way to diminish his howler in the first half when he punished United keeper Drummond for an alleged back-pass. I was, like the rest of United fans herded to the stand behind the goal which United were defending in the first half and 'hand on my heart' I couldn't say it was a deliberate back-pass. Why then could Crangle decide it was a back-pass, when he was behind the play and in no position to judge who struck the ball never mind if it was deliberate. I honestly can say I have never seen any team punished for that offence in the last five years and our keeper, who has grown up with it, didn't do anything wrong.

United showing two changes from the team that started on Wednesday, Cookie Munster for Rodgers and Boyd for Baker, got off to a dream start after 4 minutes, when Boyd tried a speculative shot from 25 yards and former United keeper Sean O'Neill fumbled the shot into his own net. The lead was short lived and United were undone by their abject failure to deal with set pieces. Crues won a throw-in on the right, the benevolent United defence allowed them the freedom of the park and when the cross came in Jordan Owen was a free as bird at the far post, although Drummond should maybe done better, but where was the covering defender. United had a let off when a Coates header flew inches wide and then in 22 minutes we had the Crangle gaffe.

Unlike when Linfield were awarded a controversial free in a match at the Showgrounds, United did organise a wall, but when the ball was pulled square for Aiden Watson to shoot goalwards, Conor Downey played Jordan Owens on and he had the simple task of giving the Crues the lead. Cutch had a chance to draw the sides level but O'Neill saved well with his feet and from the rebound Cutch tried to score at an impossible angle, instead of crossing. Boyd was unlucky to see a left foot shot sail wide in what was a positive end to the half for United. As the teams left the field for their halftime cuppa United keeper Drummond was still remonstrating with referee Crangle in regard to his gaffe.

2nd half
Disaster struck for United shortly after the break when Boyd was seen pulling at his hamstring and he had to go off to be replaced by Elvis. This half was epitomised by us seeing the two sides of Crues skipper Colin Coates. Coates, the accomplished defender who never wastes a ball and can score goals as he demonstrated in the 60th minute. But before that Curtis Woods lifted a shot past O'Neill only to be thwarted by the crossbar. Then when the United defence failed to clear a corner, the ball was driven back in, a Crues player rose unchallenged to head to the unmarked Coates, who had time to steady himself and drive the ball into the net. Rip van Roy woke up and took off Downey and brought on Eamon Murray and we gradually got into the picture.

With Eamon on the right and Ally on the left we started to move with some cohesion and when Ally struck an in-swinging corner in the 73rd minute, Cookie got his head to it to reduce the leeway to 2-3. Six minutes later we won a penalty and I have to say it was a soft penalty and I think the referee was trying to make amends for his earlier gaffe. He adjudged that Burrows, who had just come on for Rainey, hauled Jenks back as he was trying to get to a Cutch cross and booked Burrows in the process. Crues keeper O'Neill, easily saved Cutch's feeble penalty and with it United's chance of getting something from the game. Then we saw the other side of Crues Colin Coates with a horrendous tackle on Ally, reminiscent of the Kevin Kelbie tackle on Sparky. At least the referee took the right course of action, an immediate red card as the match threatened to boil over.

Ally, was not too badly injured and he came close with a free kick three minutes later from the left which hit the post with O'Neill scrambling. In a last throw of the dice Roy took off Vauls and brought on Tony Kane and we went to three at the back to try to get something out of this game. Kane did have a chance when we got a free about 25 yards from goal, but the ball sailed harmlessly over the crossbar. Despite the home team blatantly wasting time, referee Crangle only seen fit to add on the obligatory 3 minutes, adding insult to injury. The Sky Blue Sport team were left wondering whether that player from yesteryear, Jimmy Martin, who struck his penalties low and hard to the posts, would care give Cutch, whose missed two already this season, some tips!

Drummond (7), Woods (7), Vauls (6)(Sub: Kane,6), Cookie (6), Archie (6), Downey (5)(Sub: Eamon, 6), Sparky (6), Jenks (7), Ally (7), Cutch (5), Boyd (7)(Sub: Elvis, 6),

Man of the match: Jenks

Ally Ally!

Six days ago Sky Blue Sport said it was time for Baker and Ally (Teggart), to assert themselves in a Sky Blue jersey and last night although it was a night Baker will want to forget, Ally on the other hand did rise to the occasion. From his corner on the left Archie got the decisive nod on the ball to give United a one goal lead in the first half and from his pinpoint free-kick on the right, in the second period, Boydie sneaked at the far post to score the clincher. The United manager made two changes to his starting line-up of last Saturday, Archie for the suspended Denver and Rodgers in place of Watson.This was not a convincing performance from United, but they got the victory and are in the next round where they face a tricky tie away to Dergview who beat D.C. The United manger still persisted on playing Conor Downey in right midfield, although he's prominently left-footed, which is bad enough, but worse than that, he still doesn't look fit.

Chris Rodgers had one of them matches where he was good (at times extremely good) and bad (extremely bad). Whether its a matter of concentration he lacks, I do hope he gets it sorted out sooner rather than later, we need him to be at the top of his game. Dicky Vauls, bidding to tie down the leftback slot, made one terrible mistake last night but lucky it didn't come to anything and Curtis Woods done his case no harm with an accomplished display at rightback, Archie had a good game. In midfield Ally and Sparky stole the plaudits closely followed by team Captain Jenks, while upfront Cutch looked as though he had packed too much cheese and Baker was like a man lost. It was almost a relief when Baker picked up an injury and didn't come out for the second half, with Boydie taking his place.

Keeper Drummond is beginning to look like the find of the season and though he is a wee bit reluctant to leave his line, he nevertheless is a vast improvement on his predecessors in the job. United were the nearly men for a lot of this match, despite good football the final pass 'nearly' got through and for a change the two goals they scored came from set-pieces. We scored the first when Archie stole in unmarked at the near post to glance his header into the six-yard box from which it appeared to get a deflection on its way into the net. Despite United's total domination of the left flank, they couldn't unlock the home defence and Rodgers was giving concern the way he was in and out. Halftime was reached with United leading by that one-goal margin and we were left hoping for a change of personnel on the resumption.

2nd Half
Baker didn't come out for the second period, with Boydie taking his place and it gave our forwards the purpose it'd been lacking in the first period. Boydie looked to have won a penalty when he was impeded in the box, but referee Carville overruled the linesman and gave a goal-kick. As the Bangor boys begun to tire Downey was to have more of a influence on the game and one pass to Woods should brought a better outcome than the resultant corner which a Bangor defender just managed to divert past the post. When United won a free-kick about 20 yards from goal on the right it seemed like a perfect opportunity for the absent Tony Kane, but Ally took it anyway and he found the unmarked Boydie and the striker just done enough to score with a downward header.

Despite numerous opportunities United couldn't add to their tally and Cutch should have done better when a rare Downey cross found him unmarked but he headed into the keeper's arms. Downey went off to be replaced by Elvis Costello and I thought its a golden chance to make a name for yourself Elvis, but he just wasn't interested and the one chance he had, he frittered away. Rodgers, playing excellent this half picked up an injury and he was replaced by Cookie Munster and then as luck would have it Archie got an elbow to his face, missed by referee Carville and had to go off from treatment, although he was able to continue but he looked a bit woozy to say the least. Despite the 3 minutes of added time Bangor couldn't conjure up a goal and United had chalked up a 2-0 victory. Suffice to say it was not impressive and we need to lift our game for Saturday's trip to Seaview, but it is a victory nonetheless, we must be happy about that!

Drummond (7), Woods (7), Vauls (6), Archie (7), Rodgers (6)(Sub: Cookie,6,), Downey (5)(Sub: Elvis, 4,), Sparky (7), Jenks (6), Ally (7), Cutch (5), Baker (4)(Sub: Boydie,7,)

Man of the match: Ally Teggart

Half Paced!

The gulf between the top and bottom of the Irish league was never better illustrated than today at the Showgrounds. Portadown, joint-leaders, with the I.F.A. (Linfield), were streets ahead of United in every sense the word. The United defence was breeched at will with their fast flowing football and incisive passing, if the referee hadn't taken pity on us and shown a red card to defender Gartland for tripping Cutch, we could've taken a real beating. As it was the 4-2 in the visitors favour flattered us, it really wasn't that close. United manager Roy Walker rang the changes, dropping Elvis and Archie to the bench, restoring Sparky to midfield, Watson and Vauls to defence, but still insisting on playing a half-fit Conor Downey, Chris Rodgers meanwhile was nowhere to be seen.

The number of times Downey got caught in possession in this match are too numerous to mention, let's just say it was too many. I thought that part of the preparation for match days was to have teams watched, but on this showing this policy seems to have gone out the window, like the lack of fitness. Big Denver has a heart like a lion, but let's face it he far from pacey and he was caught time and time again by the slick moving Braniff. It only took the Ports 7 minutes to open their account from a corner kick, defender Gartland scoring with a free header. United spurned a great chance to get level, when Vauls and Ally combined down the left flank and the fullback's cross found Sparky unmarked, but he headed straight at Miskelly. We were soon to pay for this benevolence when the visitors increased their lead in the 26 minute when Tony Kane was beaten down the right flank and Braniff had the simplest tasks of striking the ball into the net.

This goal seemed to spur United and 3 minutes later they reduced the arrears, when Ally volleyed home after good work by Kane. Cutch was getting repeatedly caught offside, but I was thinking sooner or later he's going to be given the benefit of the doubt and so in the 37th minute it duly happened. As the birthday boy, belying all of his 33 years, burst into the Ports box, the last man Gartland whipped his legs from under him, a cast iron penalty. Not only was it a penalty, but Gartland as the last man was rightly sent off, Cutch took the penalty himself notching his 14th goal of the season to bring the sides level. United seemed to lose their way after this and the visitors finished the half in the ascendency, even with 10 men. The score remained the same at halftime and I was confident Roy would replace Downey, surely he could see he was struggling.

2nd Half
There's an old saying that goes 'there's no-one blinder that those that will not see', I'm afraid Roy Walker falls into this category. United took the field for the second half with no changes and then two minutes after the restart United were left with a mountain to climb. A cross came in from the right, Braniff rose unchallenged to head it and Mackle burst through our slip-shod defence to give the Ports the lead. I know people will tell me that's my pessimism showing through but I knew in my 'heart of hearts' that we were not coming back from this. We had no idea of how to break the Ports defence down and even though we made changes, taking off Downey and Kane and bringing on Aaron Boyd and Curtis Woods it made little or no difference. Jordan baker had a chance to draw us level when he was found at in the six-yard box, but he tried to volley it, instead just making contact and he ballooned the ball wide.

The Ports looked the more likely to score and Drummond made a smart save from Tipton as the striker mesmerised Watson on the goal-line. Then Aaron Boyd perpetrated the 'miss of the match' when from a short corner Woods cross found his head, but with the goal at his mercy he headed wide. Sparky then found Ally with a good pass and Cutch beat Ports Ramsay to the through ball and from his shot Miskelly fingertips just helped the ball onto the crossbar and away for a corner. The final nail in United's coffin came when Big Denver, who had already been cautioned, was adjudged to pull Tipton back and he became the second player to be sent off, with his second yellow card. From the resultant free-kick the United defence looked on as Braniff scored with a diving header to make the score 4-2 for the visitors and the rout was complete.

Drummond (6), Kane (5)(Sub: Woods 5,), Vauls (5), Watson (5), Denver (4) Downey (4)(Sub: Boyd 5,), Jenks (6), Sparky (6), Ally (7), Baker (5), Cutch (8)

Man of the match: Cutch

Backward Step!

It was hard to figure out United manager Roy Walker's tactics today, with the team defending deep and allowing their opponents to dictate the pace of the game. Near as I can figure he tried to create the conditions we encounter in away matches, at home, the verdict, a backward step. United supporters were scathing in their remarks at the end of the match, but at the end of the day we stole a point. Dungannon should have beat at least 3 or 4, we had no answer to their quick attacking play, in the first half Archie and Tony Kane were taken to the cleaners, by Stefan Lavery and Joe McCreadie. We were pinned in our half for most of first period, because we were defending so deep and still Dungannon were able to carve holes in our defence.

The manager made two changes to his starting line-up as of last Saturday, Downey for Sparky and Rodgers for Watson. Watson was rumoured to have flu symptoms all week but along with Sparky he was on the bench. Three times in the first half keeper Wayne Drummond rescued us when the Swifts looked liked to score, but when the visitors won a penalty for a foul, we had depend on the benevolence of a former player, Mike Ward, when he screwed his spot-kick wide. I thought that this would be the 'wake-up call for United and we strung together a couple of attacks and Jenks missed a free header which would have given us an undeserved lead. A minute before Kane found Elvis in the box and he had laid the ball to Baker who blasted over the bar. But after these five minutes of urgency we went back into our shell and continued to let the visitors dictate the pace of the match.

It was no good looking at our bench for inspiration, for there was none to be had and I realised they were the tactics they were deploying. Conor Downey, nowhere near fitness, was a liability in midfield, where 9 times out of 10 he gave away possession. Every time the defence tried to clear the ball it was being driven back in again cause we were lying too deep and the Swifts defence just launched big high balls which we struggled to deal with. The visitors did have the ball in the net near halftime, but United were lucky to see the linesman flag go up and the strike was ruled out. When the 4th official signalled one minute of additional time I foolishly I thought to myself Roy must make changes here, surely he'll see that his tactics are not working, I was wrong.

2nd Half
United did make one change at halftime, taking off Rodgers and bringing on Watson, if this was due to injury or not I can't tell, but the tactics remained the same. Three minutes into the half United got a goal they scarcely deserved when a Costello shot from a corner, which seemed to going wide was steered into the net by Cutch. Surely this would change things I thought but no it didn't and United just continued to defend deep. At last Downey came off and Sparky came on, but we had been playing at half pace throughout and it was hard to lift it. The visitors took off a defender and brought on an attacker and still the tactics didn't change. In a last throw of the dice Elvis made way for Boyd and maybe I thought we can do it.

Referee Crangle warned Lavery after a late tackle on Archie and then when he got involved in an 'off the ball', he warned him again, surely he should booked him in the first instance and the second wouldn't have happened. With 10 minutes to go Archie and Lavery were in a race for the ball and Archie seemed to get there and clear his lines, but referee Crangle who was 30 yards from the incident penalised the United man for a foul on the edge of box. Up stepped Dermot McCaffrey to curl a left shot in at the far post to give the visitors a share of the spoils. Should young Drummond been able to save this shot, surely he had to trust the United wall to do it's job, but he had kept United in the match in the first half and I was not going to judge him too harshly. United 'huffed and puffed' pretending to go for the clincher, but it wasn't to be, it was just too little, too late and the match in a one all draw!

Drummond (7), Kane (5), Archie (5), Rodgers (6)(Sub: Watson 6,),Denver (6) Baker (4), Downey (4)(Sub: Sparky 5,), Jenks (6), Ally (5), Elvis (5)(Boyd 6,), Cutch (5)

Man of the match: Wayne Drummond