Point Taken!

In Joe McCall's last game in charge United had to be content with a point, they could have taken all three, but our stand-in manager seemed to be content with the point. D.C. no doubt think they should've taken all three, they were the better team and it took some brilliant saves from United keeper Drummond to secure the point. United, not for the first time this season, were outdone by two headers from set-pieces and new manager Glenn Ferguson and his background team, of Lee Docherty and Norman Kelly, need to address this situation promptly. Joe made two changes to his starting line-up from the ill-fated Boxing day debacle, Ally for the suspended Sparky and Baker for the injured Jenks.

The linesman at the Fisherwick end was hopeless and he missed at least five blatant off-sides, including United's equalising goal, but maybe that evened the score somewhat. United were punished for slack marking at a free kick when McAlorum headed in, with fullback Tony Kane playing him on-side although that's not any excuse for the lack of marking from our other defenders. Ally Teggert, must been feeling the after effects from his knee injury,for he wasn't as effective as he has been. The linesman at the Fisherwick end kept his flag down on a couple of occasions, when the visitors had two men miles offside,I was starting to think they had changed the rule again, in that you couldn't be offside if you were level with the 'linesman'. Contrast this with the other linesman at the Farm Lodge end, he was constantly flagged for offsides. Referee Carville cautioned Gavin Taggart and proceeded to let the visitor players away with murder. In fact he warned leftback Harkness on several occasions before booking him late in the second-half and he allowed D.C. to get away with at least three deliberate handballs, without cautions.


Conor Downey was brutally tackled by McAlorum, a sending-off offence, but Carville took no action and the United player had to go off injured to be replaced with Lowry. This necessitated a change to the United formation, to a more attacking 4,3,3 reminiscent of 'manager in waiting' Spike's, Linfield days. Cutch wasn't getting any chance to unlock the visitors defence but he had a hand in United's equaliser deep into injury time. It seemed like a lost cause when he tussled with Harkness for a through ball, but the D.C. defender had to concede a corner. From Ally's pinpoint kick, Cookie got a head to the ball and it slipped through Goosie's fingers and though a defender clearly handled it on the line he couldn't prevent the goal that ensured United went in at halftime level pegging. A good referee would of booked the 'culprit' anyway for attempting to prevent a goal, but Carville is only an average referee and in this league, it's a low 'average'.

2nd half
The highlight of the halftime interval was local personality Jackie Fullerton introducing Glenn 'Spike' Ferguson and his back ground team (Sammy Patterson christened them the 'two baldies'), to the fans, the Sky Blue Sport's team wishes them well. D.C. started the second half as if they meant business and Drummond pulled of a couple of great saves to keep United in the match. When United tried break, the attack broke down at Lowry, who seemed to be trying to do the complicated thing rather than keep it simple. As so often happens in this game we call football, United, under the cosh, scored a breakaway goal and we have to thank the linesman at the Fisherwick end for his incompetence which knows no bounds. Archie went on a surging run, as he likes to do and fed Cutch near the halfway line and burst through the visitors defence too early and when Cutch played the ball Archie was clearly offside. But he was level with the linesman and that's seemingly alright and he bounded down on Goosie's goal before tucking a left-footed shot into the net.

The crowd, including me, were rapturous, but I couldn't help feeling that if Archie and Cookie, the scorers on the day, were to do their job at the other end we would have been better off. As it was the linesman at the Farm Lodge end missed another hand ball from McAllister and from his cross, Henderson got his head to the ball and Drummond pulled of a great save at the expense of a corner. From the resultant kick the United defence went asleep again and McVeigh headed the visitors level. I thought Joe would make a change now, take off Baker who was clearly struggling, but looking at the options I could see his point. The remaining subs were two defenders, Rodgers and Woods, an untried reserve midfielder, Owen Gillan and the enigma that is Elvis Costello, not much to set your pulses racing.

United conjured up a chance when Baker got to the byline and found Cutch unmarked, the wee striker usually hits them first time, but this time he took a touch and his shot was kicked off the line. Teggert picked up the rebound and fed Baker who wasted a good opportunity by hitting his shot wide. Joe finally had seen enough and Baker made way for Elvis and United created one more chance when Elvis headed the ball on for Cutch and Goosie quick as a flash dashed from his goals to block the United man, I thought this should have a penalty as the keeper never touched the ball and Cutch kept his feet but couldn't quite reach the ball to knock it in to the empty net. Not surprisingly referee Carville gave United a corner, in my estimation he's below average. The match ended in a draw, but on the plus side for United, Rory Carson looked back to his best in midfield and the keeper regained some needed confidence for the visit of Linfield next Saturday. I wonder who the I.F.A. have lined up for us next Saturday, well worry about that when the time comes, Happy New Year!

Drummond (7), Kane (6), Vauls (6), Cookie (6), Archie (6), Carson (8), Downey (6)(Sub: Lowry 5,), Taggart (6), Ally (6), Baker (6)(Sub: Elvis 6,), Cutch (6)

Man of the match: Rory Carson