Hero Wes!

For the 2nd time this weekend United's man of the match was their goalkeeper or should I say their goalkeeping coach, Wes Lamont, who was called into action because United first choice keeper Dwayne and 2nd choice keeper Stuart, were both on the injury list. Big Wes didn't disappoint and he was called in to action early to make a smart save when the benevolent United defence let a Saints forward have a free shot.United manager Spike, started with youngsters, Davey Reid and Corey Price and we seemed to be playing a 4,5,1 formation with the lone target man Elvis. The Saints had a well practised off-side trap and the United boys fell for it every time, although Corey Price was unfortunate to miss the target when well placed. Elvis had to come off with a thigh injury and Jordan Baker took his place. Only one trialist started the game, Gary Thompson and he looked like a fish out of water, he couldn't pass and when presented with an opportunity to shoot he hit the ball aimlessly out to the wing, where he should've been.

Jordan Baker almost broke the deadlock with a thunderous shot from 30 yards that smacked the crossbar with the Saints keeper well beaten. Wes showed his experience time and time again as the Saints kept right on attacking. One punch from Wes at a corner showed what a class keeper he was and still is. United seemed unable to get things going and Captain Jenks was frustrated, some strong runs but nothing to show for it. Teams that have a well oiled off-side trap are frustrating to play against but the law of averages says they're going to get one wrong and so it proved yesterday. United won a corner on the left, taking by Ally and it was partially cleared and Gavin Taggart of all people headed it over the Saints defence, they appealed for an offside flag but none came and Baker burst through and chipped the keeper perfectly to give United a 1-0 lead. Surely I thought the floodgates would open now, but we seemed to content to defend a one goal lead and rely on breakaways. Young Davey Reid playing at right fullback looked impressive and was always eager to overlap when he got the chance and Corey Price was not overawed by the occasion and showed some good touches and we reached halftime leading by a goal to nil.

2nd half
Reid and Taylor made way for Kane and Black with Vaulsey switching to central defence in place of Taylor while trialist Cush replaced Gavin Taggart. I dunno if Taylor had been injured or he was just tired taking all the goal-kicks as Wes for some reason or another didn't take any and this task fell to Vaulsey in the 2nd half. We were a little positive in the 2nd period as Cush was pushed up front, but it was the hosts who still carried a threat. Despite any amount of pressure United couldn't prize open the resolute Saints defence. Finally Spike got tired of Gary Thompson and brought on Neil Lowry and Jamie D in place of him and Corey Price and then we started to play. But in spite of starting to play we continue to 'miss' several clear cut chances. First it was Baker running through but he hit his shot straight at the keeper, then Lowry created an opening only for Jamie D to head against the side-netting.

The Saints weren't not out of it by any means and the United defence kept giving away silly free-kicks and Tony Kane cleared one off the line with keeper Wes beaten for once. Then it was Cush's turn through on the left, instead of passing he shot wide. Not to be outdone Jamie D missed a glorious chance to make the match safe when he ran onto a through ball and shot wide with the goal at his mercy. I was starting to worry that we would get caught out and we could blame all those missed chances for it, well you know I'm a pessimist at heart. As if to emphasis my feeling of dread Rodgers got beaten and the ball was struck goalwards and a Saint's forward made sure it went in only for the linesman flag to go up for offside. The match turned ugly after this and the Saints Captain got involved with Captain Jenks. In trying to get the ball Jenks fell and he was blocking the ball with his body, the ref blew his whistle but the Saints Captain kicked Jenks, who naturally enough took exception to this and jumped to his feet and the referee had to step between them. After he had calmed things down the referee talked to both players and made them shake hands.

As the referee had blown for a free kick to the Saints surely he was duty bound to flourish at least a yellow card for this act of savagery on the Saints Captains part. United assistant manager Lee Doherty was so incensed that he remonstrated to the Saints bench but got the retort back that it was man's game, Lee answered that it was supposed to be a friendly, but it was a friendly in name only. From the resultant free-kick, as Ross Black went to clear the ball he was late tackled by a Saints player, their Captain, but the ref took no action than to award United a free-kick. Three minutes later he scythed down Ally and this time the ref reached for a yellow and it was a second yellow and he was sent off. Surely the floodgates would open now I thought, the opposition were tired, they were down to ten men, but we continued to fritter away good openings and at times I thought we are looking for the 'perfect' pass and the spectacular goal instead of getting the job done.

Then in the 85th minute Ally was cleaned in the box, a stonewall penalty and he was allowed to take it himself and he gave the keeper no chance and United enjoyed a two goal cushion and the result was put to bed. We had won a trophy,we had not done in style, but we had won and at the end of day that's what we there for. So many questions remain unanswered, our defence were more solid but they will be tested more thoroughly come the new season. If we are to sign Gary Thompson, is he going to be used as back-up for Captain Jenks or is he capable of playing anywhere in midfield, that's what we need. Is there a striker anywhere on the club books who's happy to plough a lone furrow up front and when the opportunity presents itself stick it in the onion bag, that's all we really need. No correction we'll probably need a keeper, big Wes is alright in a crisis, but we need a back-up, I wonder who was the best keeper in the first division was last year, now where have I heard that before!

Wes (8), Reid (7)(Sub: Kane 6), Vaulsey (7), Rodgers (6), Taylor (7)(Sub: Black 7), Thompson (5)(Sub: Lowry 7,), Jenks (7) Gavin (7)(Sub: Cush 6,), Price (7)(Sub: Jamie D 6,), Ally (7), Elvis (6)(Sub: Baker 7,)

Man of the match: Wes Lamont

Damp Squib!

We won the St. James trophy, our first trophy in yonks, but we didn't win it with style. People might say I'm never satisfied, but yesterday against amateur league opposition, we were sluggish to say the least. We played better on the Saturday against Port Talbot and we were content to let them set the pace and try to hit them on the break. We were one up in the first half by a wonder goal as Cush unleashed a thunderous shot from 25 yards which left the Port Talbot keeper clutching at air. Thereafter we were content to soak up pressure and for the most part this worked. The referee had a stinker, I reckon he booked 8 of our boys throughout the match, but the real clanger came just about halftime. Elvis, who was having a good game, beat his marker and was thrown to the ground in a rugby tackle, a stonewall penalty but the referee ignored these claims and waved play on.

The St. James team share their ground with a rugby team and we drove up and down by it about 3 times before asking directions to the ground only to be told we were there. We foolishly were looking for a sign that said either Iveagh Grounds or St. James Gate football club, not rugby club, we were so glad we done a dry run for on the evening of the match (18-45 on Saturday), there was no-one on the gate to ask, but we got there in the end.

2nd half
I was making excuses for the referee saying he probably thought it was rugby match and Elvis had been floored by a typical legitimate tackle. Five minutes into the second half I realised he was blind as well as incompetent. Dwayne had picked up an injury and Stuart Addis had come on as a sub. Port Talbot got a free-kick I think and Stuarty caught this cleanly and he was body-charged by an opposition player. Obviously injured he threw the ball over the by-line and to the amazement of everybody there the referee gave a corner. He was able to continue after treatment, but was clearly limping and not 100% fit, but we had already our subbed our keeper and anyway we didn't have another one in the panel. Port Talbot proved that a sporting gesture was not in their remit by taking the corner instead of giving the ball back to the opposition, as usually happens on these occasions when a player is injured.

Spike made a lot of subs trying to give everybody a game and we had chances to wrap up the match but we frittered away those chances. Ally, who had come on as a sub should have done better with a pass by Elvis but he only could find the side-netting. We were hanging on for dear life and then the inevitable happened we conceded a goal, a scrappy affair that should have been cleared and then had to endure 7 minutes of added time. The final whistle came and it was to be penalties and first man to take one, Ally. He took it brilliantly and we off and running, Talbot made it 1-1, Tony Kane made it 2-1, Talbot scored again,2-2, but Stuarty almost got to it. Jamie D made it 3-2 and Talbot made it 3-3, Gavin made it 4-3 and Stuarty saved Talbot's next penalty and the stage was set for Captain Jenks and he didn't disappoint slamming the ball into the net for an unassailable 5-3 lead.

United had won, we were in the final and an unlikely hero was the limping Stuart Addis who may be out for quite a while and this left us with a goalkeeping crisis for the final. It was good result for the travelling fans about 50 or so I think, no doubt I'll be corrected if I got that wrong. Of the trialists, I thought Cush had a fair game, but Thompson showed few touches but a few people seemed to be of the opinion he was playing out of position. So he's no right midfielder and we got find a position for him or not sign him, I think. He'll have a tough task getting in to the centre midfield where Gavin and Jenks rule and we haven't found a reliable corner-kick taker yet, more work on the training ground needed.