Pathetic Display!

I confess I don't know what United's tactics were yesterday, if they were to make it easy for Chickenville to claim three points without ever breaking a sweat, they worked to a T. If on the other hand they had wanted to reward their die-hard fans with a spirited performance and give the North Belfast Reds a match, they failed miserably. As expected Spike made one change to his line-up, Cush for the suspended Jenks. It took Chickenville just 12 minutes to pierce our flimsy rearguard when Liam Boyce was allowed a pop at goal and found the top corner with a blistering shot. United to their credit tried to get a foothold in the match and in a spell of pressure they were denied twice, when first Scannell kicked off the line and secondly when referee Brian 'ham shank' Courtney, completely ignored a hand ball from a Reds defender, a blatant penalty.

That was the wake-up call the home team needed and they surged down-field and after a spell of pressure when we had ample chance to clear the ball, Scannell crept in unmarked to side-foot the ball into the net to make the score 2-0. Both our fullbacks were being taken to the cleaners and McCullagh got a yellow card for a foul as early as the 13th minute and Reds defender Smith received a yellow card 2 mins later for what to appeared to be a deliberate elbow. As far as I know you can't use your elbows in football and it used to be a sending off offence, but 'ham shank' has his own rules, I think. Despite being 2-0 down, United were well in the game going forward, but looked decidedly shaky at the back. From two Tony Kane free-kicks, first Cush could only find the side-netting and then Sparky from a free header failed to trouble the Reds keeper. It was left to our best outfield player Kane, to produce a good save from Devlin with a stinging shot, diverted for a corner and Cookie was adjudged to having fouled when winning Ally's corner kick.

Liam Boyce so delightful to watch going forward showed his brutal side moments before halftime, late tackling Archie, when he had no chance of getting the ball and was rightly yellow carded. Dwayne had kept us in the match with a couple of smart saves and the home team had missed a few chances and we were relieved with halftime approaching we were only 2-0. It might been 2-1 when the ball was half cleared and Kane tried to lob the keeper, Devlin, who he had spotted off his line, but unfortunately missed the target. When the ref blew his whistle for halftime the talk was all about if Spike had a plan to turn the match around and when would we see young Peter Duffin come on, if ever. During the halftime interval Duffin treated us to some of his tricks, including what I can only describe as overhead back-heel, there was South American goalie who did it years ago I think, but it was amazing to get seeing it in the flesh so to speak, that was as good it got yesterday.

2nd half
We seemed to be playing further up this half and Cush was playing on the left as is his wont, he generally plays on the flank where Spike is standing, but that meant Kane playing wide right and he wasn't as effective this half as he had been in centre-midfield. I have often wondered why our fullbacks give wingers so much room and 4 mins into the half the ball was played to Caldwell on the right, with nobody within 20 yards of him. He sped down the wing, cut in at a level with the penalty spot and found Johnston and he flicked the ball on and the unmarked Garret duly slotted home to make the score 3-0. Someone wondered if Spike would make a change now and I said 'tongue in cheek' he would wait until it was 4-0 and then make a change. The home team had to make a change when Scannell, surely the best leftback in our league by a country mile, had to go off and was replaced by Seydak, who almost set up a goal with his first involvement in the match.

We didn't have long to wait for the 4th goal as Archie was beaten in the air to a cross from Boyce, by Caldwell and he headed the ball into the net past Dwayne. Eight minutes later Spike made a change taking off Cookie and bringing on Ruddy and Archie moving into the middle. I couldn't for the life of me understand this move, Cookie was not at his best, but Archie had been nowhere to be seen when the Reds scored both their second-half goals and it was a negative move anyway, a defender for a defender. Then five mins later Ally made way for Alan D, another amazing substitution, Ally was not the worst, Thommo was the worst by far. Almost immediately the Reds got their fifth when Boyce stole in to slide the ball home after a cross from sub O'Carrol, which the United defenders left to each other. Dwayne had already thwarted Gormley and he pulled off a marvellous save from Boyce but injured himself in the process and had to go off to be replaced with Gavin. The versatile Sparky donned the keepers gloves and was denied a good save when he diverted the ball for a corner and the 'ham shank' gave a goal-kick, the mind boggles.

Sparky had earlier been booked for deliberately holding up play at a free-kick and he had been talking back at the ref the whole match as if he wanted to get booked. Unless he's due another suspension and wants to serve it this season, instead of it carrying into next season, he was a very silly boy to get booked. The ref seen fit to add 5 mins of injury time and it was a waste of time in my opinion. The Reds were just playing out time and we had nothing left and I know rules are rules, but 'ham shank' could've used a bit of common sense and added the requisite 3 mins and I doubt anybody would have complained. The bulk of United's travelling support had already left when the ref brought proceedings finally to a halt and we had suffered yet another big defeat. Is it six or seven we have suffered this year, I'm losing count, I only know something needs to be done about it and done quickly, we can't go on this way, we are Ballymena divided, definitely not, Ballymena United!

Dwayne (8)(Sub: Gavin 5,), McCullagh (4), Archie (4), Mahan (4), Cookie (5)(Sub: Ruddy 5,), Cush (6), Thommo (4), Sparky (5), Kane (7), Ally (6)(Sub: Alan D 5,), Liggie (6)

Man of the match: Dwayne Nelson