Heroes All!

I am 'welling up' , if you know what I mean, I just can't find the words to say what I am feeling at this moment in time and the relief when Alan D slotted home his penalty and sheer joy I felt last night will keep me going for a long time. It was a fully deserved and merited victory, sure Linfield had their chances, but they didn't take them and I don't think they would've scored if Cookie hadn't been adjudged to have fouled Carville and gave away a penalty. Luckily referee Crangle only booked United's scorer 'Cookie' Munster, but that was par for the course so to speak, for he let Gault of Linfield stay on the field after a bad foul on United's Thommo, when he had already been booked in the first half, for a foul on the same player. The Sky Blue Sport's team have a ritual when he returning from away matches, when Omar asks Sammy for the scores on the doors (players rating). Last night when were going down the Ballymacarret Road, Omar said Addis and quick as a flash Sammy said 10 and everybody's going to get ten and that sums it up for me, the elven players on the pitch and the three substitutes were 'perfect'.

When Twitter was a bit slow about given the starting line-up we couldn't help noticing that Stuart Addis was really practising hard and Dwayne was being idle and we assumed, quite rightly, that Stuarty had got the keepers jersey. I admit to being nervous about his selection, but Spike knows best and it turned out he was the unlikely 'hero' with his two penalty saves, he did us proud! Spike made only one change from his line-up of last Saturday, which saw Sparky come in for the injured Gavin. United played the same system as they did on Saturday, with Elvis ploughing a lone furrow up front and trying to hit the IFA on the break. The IFA long ball tactics were largely snuffed by the United defence, where the much maligned Ross Black had an outstanding game and some of his link-up play with Cush was a treat to watch. But I'm not singling Ross out for special praise for everybody in the United back four gave a near faultless performance and when they failed we had the calming influence of Stuarty, who took it all in his stride, just another day at the office for him, so to speak.

The United fans in the stand were magnificent and Cookie has just paid tribute to them on twitter saying, 'our supporters were unreal, the best atmosphere I have ever played in, champions', I couldn't agree more with Davy, the atmosphere was electric! The United fans didn't have long to wait for their heroes to give them something to cheer about when they won a free-kick on the right on 23 mins. Tony Kane, who had come in for his fair share of criticism in the United forum (not by me), delivered a free-kick into the box and Cush with a magnificence header beat IFA keeper Glendenning and the ball came back off the crossbar. Cush tried to get on the end of the rebound but it was Cookie with a looping header which gave United the lead and sent their fans in to raptures. I was beside myself with sheer joy and especially happy for Cookie, who has been getting 'loads of abuse' undeserved, of late and he is an honest player who gives his all. This setback spurred the IFA in to stepping up the pace and their meagre crowd was unhappy at this turn of events, slap up them is all I can say.

Michael Carville could have equalised when found by Gault, but the magnificent Addis got his angles right and the shot came back off the post. United had their chances too and their midfield three of Sparky, Alan D and Thommo were linking well and Thommo was the recipient of a disgraceful foul by Gault, who was rightfully booked for his crude tackle. Despite loads of good possession round the IFA box United couldn't get the final pass right. Cush had his marker, Ervin, in his pocket and the link-up play between him and Ross Black reminded me of years gone by when a certain Nigel Worthington was at his home-town club. United seemed to focus all their attacks on the stand side or left flank and little was seen of 'King Billy', but he played his part, giving support to Tony and providing an outlet on the right wing and keeping IFA's Johnny Black quiet. The IFA had loads of possession but I was not unduly worried for the United defence, led capably by Captain Archie was nigh impregnable. Referee Crangle blew for halftime with United leading by a goal to nil and I headed for exit to clear my head for the next 45 mins.

2nd half
Sammy and I had a talk at halftime and we both assumed we'd see Linfield's Peter Thompson come out for the 2nd half and he duly did replacing former United player Nathan Hanley, who I hadn't noticed in the first half, he was so inconsequential. I hope I've used that word in the right context, if not, he was useless is what I am trying to convey and we are well rid of him. The first move of the 2nd half involving Thompson of the IFA, resulting in him fouling Archie and that set the trend for the remainder of the game, I honestly never noticed him after that. United for their part continued with their ploy of playing down the stand side or right flank in the 2nd half and this brought King Billy into their play. In one magnificent run Billy took Black of the IFA to the cleaners and was only foiled by a last ditch save from Glendenning at the expense of a corner. From the corner taking short nobody could get on the end of Billy's cross and United had a lucky let-off at their end when a Mulgrew volley went wide and when Carville lofted over when clean through.

Then in 60 mins Linfield made their 2nd sub with Fordyce replacing the dangerous and Browne. 5 mins later Spike replaced Billy, with Jamie but I think we lost something with this substitution when Jamie didn't give enough support to Ross Black and the IFA were looking ominous with their space on the right wing. Elvis fighting lone battle up front managed to get away from his marker on the edge of the Linfield box, but collided with Thommo and moments later ref Crangle denied United a corner when Ervin directed Elvis's cross over the goal-line, Crangle gave a goal-kick, Sammy said he should've gone to Specsavers. As United were mounting an attack with Thommo he was the recipient of yet another crude tackle by Gault which should've have brought at least a yellow card if not red, referee Crangle decided to give a stern talking to, waste of time in my book. At the other end Elvis directed a free-kick for a corner which could have gone anywhere. Armstrong of the IFA saw his volley saved by Addis and Winkie Murphy saw his header from another corner go wide of the target.

Linfield made their final substitution with McCaul replacing Garret and when Carville eluded the United defence, Cookie was alleged to have brought him down and got a yellow card and got injured in the process. McCaul stepped up to send Addis the wrong way and the IFA had equalised. That goal came in the 74 mins and it's true to say we were under the cosh for a good ten minutes after that, but we weathered the storm and Cookie hobbled off on 82 mins, to be replaced with Captain Jenks coming on. Don't ask me how I knew, but I sensed we were going to win it by this substitution, which necessitated Sparky dropping in to defence. In the 2 minutes of added time Jamie broke through only to hauled down by Murphy, who got a yellow card. From the resultant free-kick, Glendenning made a save at the expense of a corner from Alan D's shot. That it was virtually the last action of the ninety mins at the ref blew for for full time and we were to have extra time of 10 mins each way.

I can't remember much incident about the extra time, we brought our final sub on with Jimmy Mac replacing Elvis and he had a couple of runs at Murphy and at the other end Sparky and Archie dealt capably with the IFA's attacks. Cush, who seemed to be dead on his legs, had the beating of Ervin but he couldn't find a telling pass to unlock the IFA's defence. Referee Crangle seemed reluctant to call the match to a halt, a match where I might add the respective physios hadn't been called upon the entire 110 mins, playing a good three minutes over the time by my watch. When he finally blew his whistle we held our breath for a moment and then we started cheering and we continued cheering to the end. I don't know whether they tossed a coin to decide what end the penalties would come from but it was to be the Linfield end or City end.

The IFA took the first penalty, with Ervin scoring, Jamie D was first up for the Sky Blues, but Glendenning pulled off a smart save and Jamie was distraught. But Stuarty then saved the next penalty from Armstrong of the IFA and Cush scored to make the scores level. The next two penalties from both sides were scored and Tony Kane taunted the IFA crowd when he scored United's 2nd. Captain Jenks scored to make the score 3-3 and by an ironic twist of fate Stuarty saved Fordyce's spot kick (United fans will maybe remember that Big Tam Wright was adamant that Fordyce would sign for United about 4 years ago but he snubbed Big Tam and signed for the Glens) and it was left for Alan D to score the decisive penalty to send the Sky Blue crew and his team-mates into raptures.

We were hugging each other and singing the old favourites, 'Blue Moon', 'she wore a Sky Blue ribbon' and 'Country Roads' and chanting 'easy.easy', but it had been far from easy but we had triumphed over adversity and come through and it was good to be a Sky Blue again. Archie was adjudged 'man of the match' and he and Jenks lifted the Shield together and we cheered with every breath in our body and I for one thought about Noel Millar, he would have enjoyed last night and him and Omar would have talked for hours about it. Thanks to Spike and the boys, you done us proud, you have taught us to believe again, you are true 'Sky Blue legends', long may you continue to be!

Addis (9), Kane (8), Black (8), Cookie (8)(Sub: Jenks 8,), Archie (8), Billy (8)(Sub: Jamie 8,), Thommo (8), Alan D (8), Sparky (8), Cush (8), Elvis (8)(Sub: Jimmy Mac 8,)

Man of the match: Stuarty Addis