Home Truths!

New United manager Spike and his team had a dose of 'home' truths last night, when Glens triumphed by 3-0 at the windy Showgrounds. The simple matter is we can't defend, not from set-pieces and not from men running at us. Sean Ward scored Glens third last night, but why was he allowed a free passage into our box, when Ross Black and Archie both had a chance to block his progress, but their 'powder-puff' tackles were totally ineffective. But the worst mistake was in letting Glens Colin Nixon have a 'free' header to Carson's corner in the 37th minute, you don't allow the deadliest man in the Irish league at set-pieces to have a 'free' header and not expect to get punished from it and we duly were.

The United defence complained bitterly that Archie had received a deliberate elbow in the events leading up to this score, but referee and linesman ignored their protests. Spike went with the same team as took the field last Saturday, but they singularly to a man didn't perform. Captain Jenks decided we would face the stiff breeze in the first half and we were decidedly lucky just to turn around one goal behind. We could hardly get the ball out of defence and when we did manage to get it going we were uncompromisingly stopped by the Glens midfield aided and abetted by referee Hetherton, who allowed them to get away with blatant body checks, while pulling our boys for misdemeanour's. When we did manage string some passes together, Jenks twice got caught in possession when he had ample time to find a man. Glens had a couple of free kicks in dangerous positions which didn't trouble our keeper and then they won another dubious one about 30 yards from our goal plumb in centre field. Stephen Carson drove the ball which was always going over the bar and Dwayne stretched to cover the angles.

Unfortunately referee Hetherton thought he got a touch and promptly gave a corner on the left. When this was taken Archie received a deliberate elbow, ignored by referee and linesman and Cookie headed it for another corner on the right. Carson took it himself and found the unmarked Nixon and he headed the Glens into the lead. Archie had to come off for treatment as the 'elbow' had dislodged one of his contact lenses, surely it's time for laser surgery. Cutch, who had been getting the rough treatment all night was fouled in the box and referee Hetherton ignored that and didn't even stop play to let the wee man get treatment. Cutch had to go off and looked like his contribution would be over, but we decided to hold out to halftime in the hope he could come back.

2nd half
Cutch was able to continue but he wasn't up his usual sharpness and despite relentless pressure from wee Sky Blues we couldn't make the vital breakthrough. Jenks had a run in to box and I thought he should have taken a pop at goal, but he passed to the normally reliable Cutch. The ball seemed to get trapped under the wee man's feet and the chance was lost. In a rare breakaway Stephen Carson deliberately elbowed Tony Kane and though referee Hetherton gave the foul, he didn't take any action. Two minutes later Carson nearly added insult to injury, when Nelson and Kane got in a tangle but he cut inside only to find the side netting. The Glens sealed the match against the run of play in 75 minutes, when Waterworth got on the end Ward's cross to put the tie beyond reach.

Former United winger Eamon Murray, who former United manager Roy Walker paid his return fare from Australia last summer, came on to put a nail in the United coffin when he fed Ward, who in turn bamboozled the United defence, before beating Nelson at a tight angle. Spike rang the changes taking off Baker and Gavin and bringing on Lowry and Rory, but United couldn't find a way back into the game. Elvis, who had led the line so well, had a stinker and with all his tricks he was largely ineffective. Ally just ghosted in and out of the game and Gavin Taggart was at best only mediocre and Kane, despite seeing a lot of the ball up the right flank, couldn't get one telling cross in and fact nearly always gave possession away to Glens. There's a lot work to be done and not much time to do in, Friday's match away to the Crues is looming, but when the going gets tough, the tough get going, at least I fervently hope so!

Nelson (6), Kane (5), Black (5), Cookie (6), Archie (5), Baker (6)(Sub: Lowry 6,), Jenks (5), Gavin (5)(Sub: Rory 6,), Ally (5), Cutch (6), Elvis (5)

Man of the match: Baker