Firing Blanks!

United gained maximum points yesterday against Glenavon, but they were made to sweat because of their inability to turn clear cut chances into goals. Chief culprit and ultimately hero for United was Ally Teggart. Ally should've had the match ball in his possession, as he missed three sitters in the first half, but did supply the corner which Cookie converted via a Glenavon player and then scored the winner himself in the 2nd half. Alls well that ends well we often say, but Glenavon made us sweat but our defence under severe pressure held firm and Cookie was supreme in the back four. Glenavon seem to have found a striker in Bates and he gave Archie a torrid time and fair play to Archie he stuck at it, but he needs to be more physical, dare I say it, he needs to more like his dad. In the absence of Johnny Taylor, it was the old Roy Walker defence of Kane, Archie, Cookie and Black.

In midfield it was Thommo, Sparky and Gavin and up front it was Cush, Ally and Jamie D. We lost the toss for the 2nd game in a row and had to attack our 'favourite' goals at the Fisherwick end in the first half with the wind at our backs. Straight from the kick-off we forced a corner, but Cush didn't get it past the first man and it resulted in another corner. This one was much better but we still couldn't get anybody on the end of it and it came to nothing. But we should've taken the lead early on when Ally burst through and with only the keeper to beat, his right-foot shot only found the keeper Coleman's legs, a bad miss. The linesman at that end of the ground was absolute crap and he flagged for offside against Jamie who ran from his own half. Thommo went on a surging run and seemed to be tripped at the far side of the ground but the referee booked him for simulation, I'd like to see that again. The linesman at our end missed an offside and Ally, a good 5 yards offside, was allowed to go on and with only the keeper to beat, messed up again hitting it straight at him.

United survived a couple of scares when Bates found himself in the clear and first Dwayne saved and secondly after rounding Dwayne, Bates inexplicably could only find the side-netting, a real let-off. United finally broke the deadlock when Ally took over corner taking duties and found Cookie at the far post and his header came off the bar and into net off the unfortunate Sean McCashin. Cush then missed a chance when he dribbled across the park but his effort in beating Coleman missed the goals. Then Ally missed what should've been his hat-trick when Sparky found him with a quick throw-in, to ironic cries of offside, but he managed to miss the target altogether a horrible miss, at least he worked the keeper on the other two times. With halftime approaching Cush had a shot from the edge of box and a deflection took onto a post and away for a corner, oh so close to another goal. From the resultant corner, this time taking by Kane, when the ball was played back to Kane he was taken out but referee Platt who had earlier booked Brown and Neill of Glenavon either side of United's goal, ignored this infringement.

2nd half
Davy King announced there were 1008 spectators at the match and although they didn't see many goals, they were treated to plenty of action. Jamie should have done better with an early chance when he found himself in the clear but Coleman saved well. Then Ally was floored in the box but the referee seemed to motion that there was minimal contact, I think Ally hesitated as he didn't want to go one on one with the keeper again and the penalty seemed to be the safest option. McCashin found himself in the referee's book for a heavy challenge, but the referee and linesman and yours truly missed a heavy tackle on Ross Black which resulted in the United man having to be helped off with Vaulsey taking his place. The visitors made their 2nd substitution at this venture with McCrory replacing Docherty, but I don't know if there was any significance in this or just tactical. I had missed the incident for I was following play at the other end as Cush missed the target shooting for the narrow angle which the keeper seemed to have covered.

Two minutes later Spike took off Jamie and brought on Lowry, Jamie had been floored earlier which should've have resulted in at least a yellow card, but the referee amazed the United camp by merely giving a corner. Whether Spike thought Jamie was carrying a knock or tiring is open to speculation but he brought on Lowry anyway.
Lowry looked lively when he came on but got caught offside on numerous occasions, some of them very close. Glenavon played their last ace in the 66 minute bringing on player/manager Hamilton and laying siege to United's goal. United couldn't clear their lines and Dwayne saved well from Hamilton at the expense of a corner. When this corner came over the United defence didn't deal very well with it and Hagen scored at the near post and I have to say it was a deserved equaliser. Straight from the kick-off Thommo found Cush and he sped up the wing and crossed for Ally to score easily, easily the best move of the match and the visitors looked shell-shocked. That goal came after 71 minutes and 3 minutes later Thommo made way for Alan D.

Thereafter it was a question of us holding out and trying to hit on the break, but when he broke we just kept straying offside. I have to say the defence and Sparky were immense in this period although Vaulsey gave us one heart stopping moment with a mistimed back-pass but Dwayne dealt with it capably as always. The referee let us away with a doubtful tackle in the box as the visitors tried desperately to get an equaliser. With 4 minutes added time United were hanging on and the visitors had another claim for a penalty when Bates was blocked but the referee 'god bless him' waved play on. In a last throw of the dice the visitors hero, keeper Coleman, came up for a corner and the ball fell to him. If he had chose to shoot instead of pass he might have got an equaliser his team deserved for he seemed to have space, but he decided to pass and the ball was cleared to Lowry who needed to find Ally breaking on the left but his pass was blocked into touch and the referee brought proceedings to a halt.

We had survived and broke our sequence of draws at home, but we made it tough for ourselves and Glenavon, I think deserved a share of the spoils. United fans are crying out for a striker, I don't think we need a striker as such, what we need is to be more clinical in front of goals. Nice football is alright, but it's goals that count and goals win matches. Next up for the Sky Blues is a away trip to the Whites, who are back to winning ways and then we entertain new boys and league leaders Ballinmallard United, this looks like being a humdinger of a match. Hopefully Taylor will be back then and maybe, just maybe, Elvis, not the unfit Elvis we seen on last Tuesday, but the Elvis we saw in the latter stages of last season, I can hardly wait. If you have time be sure to read Omar's column where he gives a tribute to the late Noel 'Stroker' Millar, well worth a read. By an ironic twist of fate, Stroker's good friend and work colleague, Declan McGreevy (Deckers), was appointed manager of DC, congrats Deckers, we'll see you on the 30th no doubt!

Nelson (7), Kane (7), Black (7)(Sub: Vaulsey (6), Cookie (8), Archie (6), Thommo (6)(Sub: Alan D 6,), Sparky (8), Gavin (7) Cush (8), Ally (7), Jamie (7)(Sub: Lowry 6,)

Man of match: Cookie