Captain Marvel!

Captain Alan Jenkins pushed into a role of emergency central defender, stamped his authority on this match with a polished performance and without doubt his best performance in a Sky Blue jersey. United were forced into four changes due to injury, suspension and unavailability, which meant a recall for Archie to form a new central defensive pairing with Jenks and meant young Jamie Davidson starting in place of the injured Ally Teggert. Gavin Taggart started in centre midfield along with Alan D and the enigma, Elvis started up front with top scorer Cutch.

United weren't overawed by the opposition and Elvis tested Morris in the Glens goal with a crisp shot and shortly after this, nearly chipped the keeper despite having his shirt tugged, the ball going the wrong side of the post. In a rare Glens attack referee Crangle harshly booked Archie for a clumsy tackle on the edge of the box. From the resultant free-kick the United wall done its job. United's and the leagues leading scorer, Cutch, nearly added to his tally with a free-kick, Morris making a superb save at the expense of a corner. From the resultant corner Chris Rodgers should done better when Morris dropped the ball at his feet.

At the other end Glens won a corner and United old boy Eamon Murray shot hit the post and Rory Carson headed off the line as Leon Knight headed goalwards in the follow-up. Jamie D, who had started nervously, was beginning to find his feet and referee Crangle failed to book a Glens defender after a heavy tackle on the youngster, Cutch, not to be outdone was the subject of a late tackle in midfield and the referee flourished the card this time. Despite the one minute of added time, there was no more scoring and the teams went in at halftime with the score locked at 0-0.

2nd half
United should've have taken the lead in the 46th minute, when Cutch set up Elvis, but the 'enigma' dragged his shot wide with the goal at his mercy. Alan D, who had a quiet first half, came more into the picture and in one scintillating run, brought the best from Morris. Elvis 'missed' anther chance when he dwelt too long on the ball and the ball was cleared. On the hour mark Alan D was replaced by Dickie Vauls, with Jenks moving to midfield and Vauls moving to central defence. Five minutes later, Jenks got on the end of an Elvis cross and nodded the Sky Blues into a deserved lead. Three minutes later he repeated the dose from a Rory Carson corner to notch the Sky Blues two ahead. He could have and should have completed a hat-trick when Cutch unselfishly set him up, but he dragged his shot wide, with the goal at his mercy.

Elvis made way for Neil Lowry and the home team started to gain a foothold in the match. Nelson came to his side's rescue with a smart save and it was plain to see we were losing our grip in midfield. To this end Spike withdrew young Jamie D, with Corey Price taking his place. The substitution didn't have the desired effect, we had no outlet and former United striker Gibbo, who had come on as sub was getting way too much freedom for my liking. United failed to clear their lines properly with about a minute to go and former Sky Blue, Eamon Murray drilled a right-foot shot from 25 yards, which hit the post and Gibbo reduced the arrears to leave United hanging on by 2-1, when they had missed at least three gilt edged chances.

During the 3 minutes added time, Leon Knight tried to con the referee to try to win a penalty, but Crangle waved away the appeal. Despite this scare, United held out for a memorable victory which takes their unbeaten run to 7 games. Their next league game is away to D.C. who are four points ahead of us in the race for seventh place. A victory there would make us virtually safe but it would take a major collapse for us to be dragged into the relegation play-off, so we are relatively safe, I think. Spike no doubt got a look at a few fringe players today and I was impressed by Dickie Vauls who came on and played as if central defender was his true position. But the man who really impressed today in defence was Chris Rodgers, who kept Stephen Carson quiet and that says it all!

Nelson (8), Rodgers (8), Black (7), Archie (7), Jenks (8) Rory (7), Alan D (7)(Sub: Vauls 7,), Gavin (7), Jamie D (7)(Sub: Price 6,), Elvis (7)(Sub: Lowry 6,), Cutch (7)

Man of the match: Jenks

Insane Kane!

No one knows when an animal goes wild, but when it comes' it comes without warning, that applies to Tony Kane, who went 'wild' at Warden Street yesterday. What possessed him to head-butt Dung's J.P. Gallagher, after a foul by the Dung fullback I'm sure I don't know. Head-butts have no place in football, it's a dangerous game without that and one English Premier league, Fabrice Muamba, is fighting for his life as we speak for no obvious reason. Tony is facing up to at least a 3 game ban and it could be more, maybe ruling him out for the rest of the season. I hope the club fine him and if he hasn't signed that two year deal, I would take it off the table.

Spike tried a different formation yesterday, dropping Elvis and playing Alan D up front along with Cutch, resulting a disjointed display from United. Maybe it's going to be impossible to have Jenks and Alan D in the same team, they're both attacking midfielders, but I thought Alan D looked like a fish out of water and never settled in his new striking role. In his first two games for the Sky Blues, he had been clinical in his scoring, yesterday he was looking to be spectacular and though he brought the best out of Dung's keeper Morgan, I thought he should have made sure, but he went for the spectacular.

Welsh referee Richard (a real dick head) Harrington, who has a penchant for sending off players was obvious trying to avoid that statistic, as he let the Dung's players away with murder in the first half. None more so than Marc Brolly who went in 'over the top' on United keeper Dwayne Nelson and should have gotten booked but the referee didn't even give a foul. I'm getting fed up complaining about the linesmen we seem to get at the Fisherwick end, no sooner have I said that was the 'worst' official I have seen and in the next match I see another mutton dummy (I hope that's not a racist comment), but that 'love child' we had yesterday will take some beating.

Ex-united player Mike Ward should've been booked for diving but the referee merely told him to get on with it. Dwayne came to our rescue with a timely save when Ward broke the shackles of Cookie but later Dung's Johnny Topley missed a sitter heading past the post when got his head to a cross. Alan D came close with a free kick, but he should done better when he found himself in space, but instead of going on, he tried for a spectacular shot and Morgan parried the ball and saved Ally Teggert's follow-up with his knees. Dung took the lead in controversial circumstances, reminiscent of the Ports goal in the cup semi-final two years ago. Dwayne came for a high ball and decided to catch it, but Marc Brolly (again), collided with him, a definite foul but referee Harrington and the 'mutton dummy' saw no foul and ball broke for Fungston to score.

Spike was livid and had to restrained and he had a right to be but I thought Dwayne, in view of what had been let go earlier (and the semi-final with the Ports), should've punched the ball, but it's easy to say that in retrospect, in the heat of the moment you do what comes naturally. That goal come in 33 minutes and the mutton dummy kept his flag down when they were two men five yards offside two minutes later. I thought Spike was going to have a heart attack this time and even Lee Doherty came out to have a rant at the incompetent official. Rory Carson was having a stinker, despite several promising moves he couldn't find his man with the final pass. The referee added 3 minutes to proceedings and during this time United won a corner on the left. Rory took it and it caused a bit of panic in the Dung defence and ace marksman Cutch was on hand to drive the ball into the net to leave scores 1-1 at the interval.

2nd half
Spike brought on Elvis in the second period for Carson, who had been poor in the first half, although in fairness he had supplied the corner for Cutch to score, Alan D on the other hand had done nothing. We looked a different team this half and Elvis was the difference, he was holding the ball up and providing a challenge for the Dung defenders. In one piece of delightful play he got in a cross from an impossible situation but nobody could take advantage of it. The mutton dummy flagged for offside against Ally with a Dung defender actually two yards behind him and then later on penalised Elvis when a Dung defender was pulling his shirt and should have been a penalty. I thought this time Lee Doherty was going to punch him but he merely gave him a piece of his mind.

Ally failed to find a telling cross when in a good position and Alan D despite a good turn and shot from the edge of box, failed to beat Morgan. On the hour mark, Alan D made way for Gavin Taggart with Kane moving on to the wing. Gavin was no sooner on the field when he was booked, for his first tackle, a mite harsh seeing the dick-head had let Dung players off with murder earlier. Jenks then missed with a free header when he looked odds-on to score from an Ally corner. With 15 minutes to go Kane saw red after a brutal challenge by Gallagher, they both should have been sent off for the Dung player lifted his hands, but the dick-head only sent the United player for an early bath. It now was a case of holding on and Ally made way for Young Jamie Davidson to try inject a bit of life into the match.

United despite being a man short played alright and I think with a bit of care could of got the three points. As they broke in attack after a Dung corner Jamie was 'felled' by a punch near the centre circle, missed by all four officials, see no evil, hear no evil and no action was taken. Johnny Taylor, who will miss United's trip to the Oval next week, had his worst game and got booked for winning the ball by the dick-head, the mid boggles. Not to be outdone Cookie was booked for a professional foul making five yellows and a red for United and only three for the Dung animals. United easily held out for the point and on their second-half showing they fully deserved it. I think Spike and the boys have got to face it, Elvis does some silly things, but he's the best man to lead our line, you know it makes sense, select the enigma!

Nelson (6), Rodgers (7) Black (7), Cookie (6), Taylor (6), Carson (5)(Sub: Elvis 7,), Alan D (5)(Sub: Gavin 6,), Jenks (5), Kane (5), Ally (6)(Sub: Davidson 6,),
Cutch (8)

Man of the match: Cutch

Bumpy Landing!

After the euphoria of results in the last few weeks United's supporters were brought down to earth with a bump by this draw at home to Lisburn Distillery. United 'missed' enough chances to have the points safely wrapped up but they conceded two soft goals and all the old uncertainties of leaking goals are still there. Admittedly referee Colin Burns blatantly ignored the 'rules' by not stopping play when Cookie suffered a head injury in the build-up to their second goal, but the United defence was nowhere to be seen. Spike made just one change from his starting line-up from last time, Tony Kane in for the suspended Jenks. I think Kane is a rightback, he performed heroically last week when he came on at Newry, but that was different, we were up against it and I think he wasn't as effective yesterday.

The Linesman at the Fisherwick end where United were attacking in the first half worryingly failed to flag three times when United players were offside although nothing came of them, but I was concerned for the 2nd half. United took the lead on 29 minutes when Cutch out on the right found Elvis who in turn found Alan Davidson on the edge of the box and he rifled a shot into the net for his 2nd goal in a Sky Blue shirt and on his home debut. The United lead was short-lived however when five minutes later the Whites Alan Thompson fell under a challenge, which resulted in referee Burns awarding the visitors a soft penalty. I think Thompson should've have been booked for simulation but that's never going to happen in the Irish league. Cooling's spot kick hit the post and as luck would have it, hit the prone Nelson on the head for a bizarre own goal.

United to their credit didn't let this setback unfaze them and went on the attack again. I feel I must say something here about the enigmatic Elvis, at times he was brilliant, at other times he was useless. United got their noses in front once again in the 42 minute, when Davidson played a delightful ball into the box and Cutch brought the ball under control and hammered his 30th goal of the season. United were rampant at this stage and Elvis came in for some rough treatment when Whites player Pat McShane blatantly kicked him when he went up for a high ball, which left United fans calling for the ultimate punishment, a red card, but alas it was only yellow. Elvis will no doubt have a big bruise on his thigh this morning as result of this foul tackle, but I suppose it's just part of a footballers lot.

2nd half
United frittered away chance after chance to make the game safe and only Elvis knows how he missed an open goal, it seemed easier to score than miss. This was the last straw for Spike and he subbed him a few moments later bring on young Jamie Davidson. Former United player David Cushley brought the best out of United keeper Nelson, who palmed away his powerful shot from the edge of the box, a warning for United. Next it was young Jamie's turn to miss a god chance when he looked odds on to score and not to be undone Rory Carson shot just over when well placed. At the other end the visitors come close to levelling the match when Ligget headed just over from a corner. United's Chris Rodgers went down injured in the build-up to this chance and referee Burns told to him to get off the field if he wanted treatment.

Chris decided to carry on and when the ball went dead he went down again, but referee Burns invited him to go the touchline, which he duly did but it was obvious to everyone in the ground he was truly hurt and indeed had to be substituted. Gavin Taggart replaced Rodgers with Kane moving to rightback. United failed to take advantage when the ball was ping ponging in the visitors penalty area and this miss was to prove costly. The visitors were on the attack when Cookie received a blow to the head, but the referee didn't stop the game, obviously there's some new directive, don't allow physios on the field and don't stop the game if their is a head injury, or was referee Burns just as incompetent as the rest of his overpaid comrades. At any rate play was allowed to continue and when a cross took a deflection off Ross Black it fell kindly for Alan 'she fell over' Thompson to steer the ball past Nelson in the United goal.

Spike brought on Lowry for the tiring Alan D, it's what I'm going to call Alan Davidson but try as we might we couldn't get the victory and had to settle for a draw. I must confess to feeling a wee bit disappointed, true there was not the drama of last week's victory at Newry, but we had a job to do and couldn't do it. No doubt Spike and his team will take some positives from the result, but I feel we should be condemning teams like Distillery to defeat, not giving them a lifeline as we did in this game. Just heard the news we have given new contracts to three players, Tony Kane, youngsters Jamie D and Neil Lowry and Johnny Taylor has signed a pre-contract agreement, which will keep them at the Showgrounds till 2014, all I can say is, bring on the Linfield!

Nelson (7), Rodgers (6)(Sub: Gavin 6,), Black (6), Cookie (6), Taylor (7), Carson (7), Kane (6), Alan D (8)(Sub: Lowry 6,), Ally (6), Elvis (6)(Sub: Jamie D 6,), Cutch (8)

Man of the match: Alan D

Another Bungle!

United's trip and subsequent victory over Newry looks to be in vain, recent signing Alan Davidson, who scored the winner, is thought to be ineligible. Rule 4 of the Irish cup rules clearly state that a player has to registered before 31 January, to be eligible. Alan Davidson only signed late February and therefore that makes him ineligible. There's a dispute as to whether the blame lies with us or the I.F.A. (or the Bunglers as I call them), anyway head or heads should surely roll. But wait, if it the I.F.A. or the 'sugar daddies' as Linfield call them, who have made a bad call, it will just be glossed over like all the rest of the bungles they have made over the years.

I can't still get my head round all the latest news that the I.F.A. have told Linfield (their team I know), that they're going to get £200,000 a year and they can use that as part of their budget, the mind boggles. Not only that, they have loaned the Crues nearly £60,000 to pay the tax man, or face winding up and the Glens nearly £80,000 to avoid the same. I know where we are going wrong now, we should run mammoth debts and let the I.F.A. pay for them, it seems it the only way, our dear friends the Coleraine scum did it successfully and got away with it, they can't pay, they won't pay.

Now to the match as I'm starting to sound like Omar, United took the field with one change from their starting line-up, Alan Davidson in for Gavin Taggart. This change gave the United midfield a disjointed look and meant team Captain Jenks lying a bit deeper than usual. It only took six minutes for Alan to forget his deep role and he sprinted down the left flank and his excellent cross was swept home by Cutch. After this dream start United seemed to lose their way somewhat. They allowed Newry to dictate things in midfield and referee Andy Hunter did us no favours by punishing us at every opportunity. The referee booked the United Captain when he, Jenks, was fouled right in front of where I was standing, a miscarriage of justice if I ever saw one.

The United defence dealt capably with the Newry attack and Chris Rodgers in particular was revelling in his role. Not so the other fullback Ross Black who seemed to be giving his player too much space. Not much was seen of the United attack in this phase, we seemed be trying to do it with one pass instead building up some pressure. Elvis missed a great opportunity when Cutch delivered a cross but enigmatic Elvis couldn't get a touch. Davidson came within an ace of breaking his 'duck' when his shot from 25 yards came back off the post with the keeper stranded. Three minutes before the break disaster struck for United when Jenks was brutally fouled on the halfway-line and in a carbon copy the referee decided he was the culprit and his second yellow led to his sending off.

The United team and fans were shell-shocked at this turn of events and before we had a chance to get organised Newry got a foothold in the match. From a short corner Rodgers and Cookie seemed to get in each others way and Newry forward Haveron was left the simple task of finding the net. A bad defensive goal and TV pictures later show the Newry player taking a 'dive' resulting in Jenks getting sent off. Jenks on the other hand should have been exercising caution, but is hard for him to change his combative style, but he must lead by example. It was obvious that United needed to change their formation and with the halftime whistle approaching they would get time to do that.

2nd half
Elvis made way for Tony Kane who slotted into midfield and United began to dictate the pace of the match. Not much was seen of the home team in the second half, they seemed to lose their way, sure they forced several corners, but the United defence dealt capably with them. United striker Cutch has but one failing, he is unwilling to challenge for high balls usually. But not in this match, he was challenging like an old-fashioned centre-forward, not only challenging but winning and it was delightful to see. Try as they might United couldn't get the breakthrough and Kane shot wide from 30 yards. Cutch found space on the right and hit a crisp shot but the keeper was equal to it.

Alan Davidson broke clear and his shot was handled on the line but referee Hunter gave a corner, there's obvious no end to his incompetence. It was plain to see it was going to take something special to break the deadlock and with fifteen minutes remaining United won a free kick about 35 yards from goal. Up stepped Tony Kane and his pile-driver was only parried by the Newry keeper and the alert Davidson clipped the rebound into the net to give United a 2-1 lead. Moments later Dwayne popped a header from a corner up in the air and caught again, a sigh of relief from the United fans. Alan Davidson made way for Archie with the match in its closing stages and United held out for a victory and a semi-final meeting with Linfield, maybe!

Nelson (7), Rodgers (7), Black (6), Cookie (7), Taylor (7), Carson (6), Jenks (6), A.Davidson (7)(Sub: Archie 6,), Ally (7), Elvis (6)(Sub: Kane 8,), Cutch (8)

Man of the match: Cutch