Blue Moon!

I'm sure I saw a Blue Moon as I made my way from the Oval grounds last night, fresh from the Sky Blues dramatic victory at a cold and 90% empty Oval last night. It really has proved a happy hunting ground for us over the last few seasons, if you count the County Antrim Shield win against the IFA, we've won seven of the last eight encounters. While we didn't have the drama of a penalty shoot-out last night, we did witness a goal worthy of the admission price. We at 'Sport have consoled ourselves when we've seen attendances at matches dwindling during the last few seasons, that if we have a winning team the fans will attend, last night proved that theory to be so much flannel. I didn't count the number of fans we had at the match but I would be surprised if we had a hundred, on this turn-out we don't deserve a winning team and we're going to add to this demise when we take ourselves off for three weeks in Spain, we will become like the fickle United fans, sure its the trendy thing to do.

As expected Glenn said same again and the only change in the squad was Jimmy Mac getting a place on the bench, instead of the suspended Gavin. The home team was missing several players and had their reserve goalie in and he almost presented the Sky Blues with an early goal in the 3rd minute, when he fumbled a Thommo shot but recovered to divert Thommo's follow up for a corner. We started brightly with Cush on the left and Ally on the right and we always looked likely to score. In a rare Glens attack the linesman at the City end where we were defending, gave us a scare by failing to flag Waterworth offside, but he shot over. Referee Alan Black was admonishing our players who were questioning the linesman's sight. But in 18 mins he pointed to the spot when Captain Jenks was fouled by Callaher when he about to shoot. Up stepped Ally to convert the penalty and give us a deserved lead but we failed to add to this despite having good possession.

The home team were awarded a penalty in the 31 minute when it was alleged Chrissy had pushed Murray, but it seemed to me, to be 'six on the one hand and half a dozen on the other', but Alan pointed to the spot and booked Chrissy for good measure. Up stepped Waterworth to send Dwayne the wrong way but his powerfully struck penalty hit the post and out for a throw-in to United, justice was done in my opinion. Two mins later, a home defender tripped Cush when he was on a run which took him past four defenders, but no yellow card. In a move obviously thought out on the training ground, Kane passed the ball to Dolan, but he couldn't find a United player. At the other end, in a spell of pressure from the home side, Ross Black headed a Waterworth effort off the line, job done.

Referee Black impounded his incompetence near halftime when Dolan was viciously scythed down in what should've have been a red card, only a yellow and after both players received treatment, Dolan was allowed to remain on pitch, instead of going to the sidelines as is usual when the physio has to come on to treat players. From the free-kick, Dolan was involved in the play and I wondered idly, if he had scored, would the goal have counted, when he shouldn't been on the pitch, but maybe its at the referee's digression, or maybe not. Luckily for Black his incompetence passed mainly unnoticed, we who know him, expect nothing else, but last night he had one of his better games, but who can forget that Coleraine game when he was going to send a scum player off and changed his mind and sent a United player off instead, fortunately they were no such instances last night.

2nd half
United were under the cosh from the restart and Dwayne had to make a point-blank save from Waterworth and it was obvious that a change would have to made. Spike made his change in 60 mins but I expected Sparky to come on to give us a tackler in midfield, but it was play-maker and hero of last Saturday Alan D, who came on to replace Cush. The home team were buzzing at this stage and a goal seemed imminent and when Waterworth burst through our beleaguered defence, Dwayne managed to push him wide but mistimed his dive and pulled him down. Referee Black only booked Dwayne, but that was par for the course, he had a let a Glens player escape with a yellow for 'leg-Break' tackle on Dolan near halftime. Jason Hill coolly slotted home the penalty to tie the score at one apiece. Referee Black's incompetence came to the fore again when he stopped play when Ross Black went down with a leg injury and later on didn't stop play when a home player went down with a head injury.

This incident nearly lead to a goal from the home side, when the United players hesitated, but play was waved on and Cookie had to come to our rescue with a last ditch clearance. With 15 mins remaining, Duffin replaced Dolan and we started to get inroads into the match. But we were under the cosh and I was wondering if we could hold out for a point. In a delightful move near the end, Duffin played a one-two with Ligget and his goal-bound shot was headed against the bar and Thommo couldn't get any purchase on his headed follow-up. A few mins earlier we had an incident where Duffin skinned his marker who could only touch the ball for a throw-in and when the players came in inevitable contact the linesman astounded the Sky Blues by alleging that Duffin had fouled, for Pete's sake, its a contact sport, not every contact is a foul.

I had started to make my way round and the 90 minutes were up and Tony Kane found space on the right touchline and stepped inside and from 30 yards unleashed a thunderbolt that was a beauty to see and it thundered into the net and Tony somersaulted in jubilation, it was a sight to see I can tell you. I haven't seen any video pictures of it yet, but I was there, like the rest of the true Sky Blue supporters and we were delirious. It was a goal out of the blue, as pure a strike as you are ever going to see and I feel privileged that I was there to see it, there had to be a blue moon shining down on us. We had gained another three points (32) and another three on Saturday against the Crues, who we have beaten already this season, will take us to 35 points, safe from relegation. The next target after that is 40 points, but sandwiched in between we have a match with the Scum, which will be Sky Blues Sport's team next match. We're away to sun this Friday, but we'll keep you up to date with all things Sky Blue in the meantime!

Dwayne (8), Kane (8), Cookie (7), Chrissy (7), Black (7), Ally (8), Thommo (7) Jenks (7), Cush (7)(Alan D 7,), Dolan (7)(Sub: Duffin 7,), Ligget(7)

Man of the match: Tony Kane