Shot Shy!

United manager Spike Ferguson made five changes to his team of last Saturday's reverse at D C. Out went Ross Black, replaced by Vaulsey, Cookie Munster replaced by Rodgers, King Billy replaced by Ally, Elvis replaced by Jimmy Mac and Captain Jenks came in for the injured Thommo, our bench was made of the four dropped players and Jamie. Chris Rodgers was obviously picked to 'man mark' Ports danger man, Kevin Braniff and in the first half it worked perfectly, but good players only need a sniff of a chance and so proved in the 2nd half. United, who had their ballboys carrying out the County Antrim Shield before kick-off, started like a steamroller and Cush skinned his marker and found Jimmy Mac with a gem of a cross and with the goal at his mercy, the young man shot straight at Ports keeper Miskelly and captain Jenks follow-up went over the bar. United continued to press and from a corner partially cleared Tony Kane delivered a right-foot cross and Chris Rodgers headed his first goal in a Sky Blue jersey off the underside of the bar.

The Ports nearly levelled the scores when Braniff easily beat Archie to get his head to a high ball and Murray did likewise to Rodgers but Addis pulled a mighty save at the expense of a corner. At the other end Cush found Alan D but his powder-puff shot was wee buns for Ports keeper Miskelly. Referee Carville had already booked Mouncey of Ports for a bad foul and soon Tony Kane followed him into the book for a cynical foul. The referee booked five players from each side in the entire match, but I didn't think it was an extremely physical game, just two teams asking no quarter, a typical Irish league game. After another scintillating run by Cush, Jimmy Mac missed a free header, I think he actually hit the ball with his shoulder, a chance gone begging. Alan D who had been the victim of a punch in the chest early in the match, was on the receiving end of some questionable tackles, but appeals to the referee went unheeded. Jimmy Mac just failed to get on the of another cross-cum-shot from the busy Cush, yet another gilt-edged chance gone begging.

Not to outdone, Ally Teggart got himself some room, but shot straight at Miskelly who saved easily. I was already voicing my concern that these missed chances would return to haunt us, pessimistic I know, but I am a United fan after all. In a scramble in the Ports box we couldn't find a man with a cool head and a steady foot to supply the finishing touch. Alan D finally talked himself into a booking, when after he was impeded and nothing given, the ref punished United for the very same thing and Alan foolish pointed this out to the ref. I don't know if officials are cheating or just incompetent, take the linesman at the Fisherwick end, he missed 3 blatant offsides in the first half and signalled for a throw-in several times, when the ball wasn't over the touch line. But I consoled myself that he would be the same for both sides and miss several offsides in the 2nd half, I was completely wrong as it turned out.

2nd half
Sky Blue Sport in our preview had said we need to either mark Kevin Braniff or better still cut off the supply to him. Spike chose the former, for we have tendency to let crosses come into the box and we usually end conceding goals from this benevolence and so it proved once again yesterday. Cush had switched wings for some reason and Ally's covering is not the best and we were undone down our left flank and McNeil found Braniff in a bit of space and he rifled a beauty of a shot into the top corner with Addis clutching at air. In the build-up to the move, Sparky got injured in the centre-circle but unlike last week at D C, the referee allowed play to continue on, instead calling a halt, I think he got it right, but it seems as though it doesn't work for us, only against us. Jimmy Mac was flagged for offside two mins later but he was onside when the ball was played and he timed his run to perfection, but the incompetent official (or cheat), flagged him anyway. United players were angry at this and I could see them losing their discipline and it proved their undoing.

Cush vented his frustration when he blocked an attempted clearance from Redman of Portadown, it wasn't a bad foul, but Redman was writhing on the ground as if he had been hit with a steamroller. The ref consulted his linesman and Cush was booked, a harsh booking and Redman, job done, was miraculously healed, that pain-killing spray must be powerful stuff, or was that touch of the female physio. Worse was to follow from United's point of view, when not for the first time this season, they failed to deal properly with a long free kick and rightback Casement found Braniff and the Ports took the lead. The missed chances in the first half had come back to haunt us with a vengeance and when Rodgers went down injured we had to make a substitution and just for good measure we made two, with Cookie replacing Rodgers and Jamie D replacing Cush of all people. Cush was our one bright spark in a match that had lost all its sparkle for us and when he went off we lost all chance to create something positive.

The only reason I can think of that he was subbed, is if in Spike's opinion he was in danger of getting sent-off, for he was clearly frustrated. Six minutes later Jimmy Mac made way for Elvis but it was too little too late and the United forwards were shot shy, seemingly wanting to walk the ball in. Ports had the ball in the net for a third time but it was ruled out for offside. Murray should've been sent-off for a punch on Cookie as the two tangled, but the ref just booked the two of them. Alan D seemed to not want to shoot first time but he did have a hard luck with one bender, just going wide of the target. The referee added four minutes onto the ninety but United could not find a telling pass to unlock the Ports defence and they had suffered their fourth league defeat in a row. On summing up I think the manager made a mistake disrupting the team by too many changes, Vaulsey for Black didn't really work and Rodgers for Cookie either. Ally for Billy left us with too many left-footed players on the team and Jimmy Mac, missed two absolute sitters. I'm not saying that Elvis would have scored them, but he was denied that opportunity.

Addis (6), Kane (6), Archie (5), Rodgers (6)(Sub: Cookie 6,), Vaulsey (6), Ally (5), Jenks (5), Alan D (5), Cush (8)(Sub: Jamie (6), Sparky (6), Jimmy Mac (5)(Sub: Elvis 6),

Man of the match; Cush