Cold Comfort!

United's new manager, Spike Ferguson, was understandably down, but he nevertheless praised his team for doing the things that he had advocated in training. But the match turned on a 'home town' decision by the linesman at the Fisherwick end, when he allowed I.F A. defender Aaron Burns, not only to block the progress of United's Jordan Baker, he was to add insult to injury and penalise the United man for trying to play on and ignoring the retaliatory kick from Burns, which should have resulted in at least a caution. But the linesman was hardly likely to penalise his employers team, we just have to learn to live with that(for anyone new to the site, Linfield and the I.F.A. are the same).

From the resultant free-kick Sparky's header was driven back by Burns (who should've been enjoying an early bath by this time), took a deflection of McAllister and hit Cookie Munster's foot, before finding the net just inside of Drummond's left post and eluding the keeper's fingertips. The number of times I have heard the cry of 'lucky Linfield' over the years are too numerous to mention, but sure it's no luck when the officials ignore basic rules and worse still make them up when it suits. Spike made three changes from our starting line-up of last week, out went Dicky Vauls injured to be replaced by Ross Black. Sparky returned in place of Downey, who seemingly didn't turn up for training on Thursday night and Jenks replaced Gavin Taggart.

In our Sky Blue Sport preview we were hoping we could keep a clean sheet for at least 20 minutes but alas we were undone by the linesman and bad defending. The linesman kept his flag down when McAllister was clearly offside (but level with the linesman and that's all that matters), Ross Black failed to get a tackle on McAllister, mainly because he had a head start. Keeper Drummond had a chance to close McAllister down, but he stopped in 'no man's land' and when the ball come across Cookie allowed Thompson to get the better of him and found the empty net. The United fans were livid with the linesman and I think his parentage was called in to doubt and that was among the nicer things, but he hadn't really started to display his box of tricks.

The I.F.A. should've increased their lead when Billy Joe Burns was allowed a free poke at goal and Drummond saved well. From the keeper's resultant drop kick, Baker's back header was nodded into Jenks path by the 'goal machine', Cutch and the United Captain took on his chest before firing a left-foot shot past Addis in the Linfield goal, despite having four Linfield men in attendance, to tie the scores at 1-1. To my surprise the goal stood, I fully expected referee Hetherington to rule it out for some indiscretion but he looked at the 'fat controller' and he must have given his assent for the goal stood. From the remainder of the half United played all the football and the I.F.A. tended to to try long ball tactics which was greeting with derision by the disappointing number of Linfield fans in the Warden Street stand.

I am going stick my neck out now and say I think Irish league fans are voting with their feet and stating that they don't like this league format we have now. Given the news that Cliftonville have banned six fans (and more to follow), I fervently hope these are not the travelling fans who attend matches, otherwise their away crowd will suffer by about 15%. That's how many real fans attended a recent match at the Showgrounds (I'm not talking about the free-loaders, who get in for nothing here, but real fans). We had a big crowd of home support yesterday,I suppose it was the new management team who brought them in, but the Linfield support was paltry compared to previous years. Linfield fans used to outnumber us by 3 to 1, not anymore, more like even Steven.

I know the 'official' figures from the clubs say different, but you got to remember they're 'massaging' the figures to swell gates receipts and therefore to get round this even more ridiculous legislation we have now that says you can't pay out more than you get in, where there's a will, there's a way. I will hazard a guess and say there was 2,100 at the match yesterday, 'official' figures will probably be 10% or 15% more than that, but even so we can't pretend that this is a good format, we are just digging a hole for ourselves and the future of football in this wee country of ours.

2nd Half
The second half is really about the ridiculous decisions made by the linesman at the Fisherwick end, who when the referee blew for fulltime, wisely disappeared into the tunnel like a 'bat out of hell', rumours that he was going to prepare the Linfield team bath are as yet unsubstantiated (that's a big,big word). Then referee Hetherington revealed he was 'in on the act', when I.F.A. defender Murphy blatantly grabbed the ball as Jenks burst through, he administered a yellow card, instead of a red, although this happened near the halfway line, it was a clear goalscoring opportunity and the letter of law should have stood. Obviously the £180 he gets for officiating (£2 a minute), isn't enough, he has to cheat as well.

United were largely devoid of ideas, epitomised by Tony Kane's shot when well placed, high, wide and not so very handsome and a Ross Black free-kick against the Linfield 'wall'. When the linesman surprisingly gave United a free-kick, Murphy then had an altercation with Cookie and the Linfield man could be seen clearly lifting his hand, but the referee took no action, but called the two players over and Murphy 'playfully' slapped his face, he knew it was only idle talk. Spike rang the changes, taking off the disappointing Ally and bringing on Jamie Davidson and later bringing off Carson for Elvis. I thought we were about to see Neil Lowry, but Sparky fell awkwardly and had to come off with what appears to be an arm injury, with Gavin Taggart coming on. Cookie Munster almost 'sold the ranch' on a couple occasions, trying to be smart, instead of clearing his lines.

Ross Black delivered two in-swingers, first from a free-kick and then from a corner, which Addis in the Linfield goal plucked easily from the air, not a United man in attendance. Spike's frustration showed when he had a go at the linesman, when earlier keeping his cool despite provocation, as the linesman denied United a corner, pulling Baker for a foul which only he saw.. The highlight the half for me was the way Black dispossessed Linfield's sub Stephen Lowry in the box, when a score looked imminent, small comfort. Archie, tried a surging run, but the visitors were having none of that and closed him down. Archie, it has to be said defended stoutly and was equal to anything Rory Patterson did and it was no surprise when Patterson was subbed in the 2nd half. United had a chance to draw level when Jenks found space about 20 yards from goal but he hit his shot over the bar and the chance was lost.

Drummond (6), Kane (6), Black (7), Cookie (6), Archie (7), Carson (7)(Sub:Elvis 6,), Sparky (7)(Sub: Gavin 6,), Jenks (7), Ally (5)(Davidson 5,), Baker (6), Cutch (6)

Man of match: Archie