Susan Bap!

Johnny Taylor I have to say has had a steadying influence on the United defence since his loan move from Glentoran, yesterday I'm afraid to say was not one of those. Whether he found it difficult to mark former team-mate Gary Hamilton, on his day one of the best players in our league, or just wasn't in form, I honestly don't know. I'm tempted to quote a line from a 'Kipling' poem, which goes something like 'if you can keep your head when all around you are losing there's' etc.etc. Johnny struggled to keep his during the match, getting caught in possession, taking ill advised short free-kicks and giving the ball away needlessly. Having 'gifted' Glenavon their first goal with a disastrous weak header he done the only decent thing, scored with a powerful header in the 92 minutes to ensure United's unbeaten run goes on and score the first goal (I hope of many) in his United career.

United took to the field with a unchanged team, Chris Rodgers, who had had to come off in the last two games was fitter, although he did look unsure at times but nearly back to his best. But it's true to say that the entire back four, looked unsteady, but when your defensive leader is having a wobbly, it tends to spread. The first half wasn't much to write home about, the United defence seemed intent in shooting themselves in the foot due to slipshod defending and their failure to clear their lines. The normally reliable Dwayne Nelson in nets almost scored an own goal when he punched corner goalwards, but Gavin Taggart spared his blushes with a goal-line clearance. Elvis, the enigma, surfaced one again as he burst into the box and with everyone waiting for a cross, he hit it harmlessly by. Alan D (who rumour has it is talking to Portadown, unconfirmed), had a shot over the bar and despite forcing a few corners we only came close once, when an Elvis header was cleared off the line and nobody could get the final touch. Brian McCaul should've given the visitors the lead before halftime when clean through, but he scuffed his shot and missed the target.

2nd half
Two minutes into the second-half United took the lead when Alan D found Elvis in the box and he delivered a rasping shot that fairly rifled into the net. It's true to say we were in the ascendency then and could've and should've have made the game safe, but we tried to make it 'look good', instead of being clinical. Alan D was guilty of that when he burst through the visitors defence, rounded the keeper and then instead being clinical he tried to make it look spectacular, and Shannon was able to clear off the line. Next it was Ally getting on a through ball but his weak shot took a deflection off the keeper Coleman and resulted in a fruitless corner. My 'pet hate', short free-kicks and short corners, raised it's ugly head when Cutch and Ally combined at a corner on the right, Cutch found his route blocked to goal, he passed to Gavin, who found Archie and he had no option but play the ball back to Dwayne, what waste of an attacking position. The visitors came close to levelling the tie when Hamilton found Doherty unmarked but his header drifted wide.

The United defence didn't heed this warning and were undone after 70 minutes but referee Tim Marshall had a hand in it. The referee chose to ignore a foul on Elvis on the halfway line and allowed the visitors to mount an attack through Hamilton, he in turn fed the ball through and the normally reliable Johnny Taylor's half-hearted header fell into the path of McCaul and he duly scored. Spike then decided to make a change, replacing Elvis with Jordan Baker. Referee Marshall booked Gavin Taggart for his protests when he (the referee), missed a blatant handball. From the resultant free-kick, the visitors won a corner which Hamilton took and from Dwayne's weak punch the ball was headed goalwards again and Dwayne was impeded but the ball ending up in the net and despite the protests was allowed to stand. Spike took off Alan D and brought on Rory Carson but Glenavon were in the ascendency at this stage and it was hard to see where United could find a way back into the game.

I think at this stage Glenavon missed a trick, they were so intent in wasting time instead of going and making the match safe. The referee chose to ignore the visitors introducing a second ball to the field of play and the United defence stopped and almost conceded a third goal, Nelson only saving at the expense of a corner. Spike made his last substitution with Jamie D replacing Cutch, who came off to a standing ovation, his last match for United at home. The 90 minutes was up and we were in stoppage time and the visitors tried to run the clock down but United somehow got possession and for once the ball was punted long. Baker was on his own with three defenders round him but they were glad to concede the corner on the left. It was our last chance and even Dwayne came up for the corner, Rory's delivery was spot on, Johnny Taylor got his 'bap' firmly to the ball and United had pulled a draw for the jaws of defeat. I don't feel any sympathy for Glenavon, they were so intent in time-wasting and they got what they deserved, in fact, they, with the referee's help, nearly stole the three points, when they shouldn't have got any!


Nelson (6), Rodgers (6), Vauls (6), Taylor (6), Archie (6), Alan D (6)(Sub: Carson 7,), Jenks (6), Gavin (6), Ally (6) Cutch (6)(Sub Jamie D 6,), Elvis (7)(Sub: Baker 7,)

Man of match: Elvis