Ally Pally!

I can't recall how many times United's Alan Teggart has been clean through with only the keeper to beat this season, but he's missed them all, but not yesterday at Suffolk Road. When a delightful Alan D through ball left him 'one on one' with DC keeper John Connolly, Ally skipped past the DC keeper and found the net with a right-foot shot, for his 9th goal of the season leaving the final score 4-1 in United's favour. It was no more than United deserved and despite DC playing nice football they had no finishers on their team. United manager Spike made one change from his starting line-up of Easter Tuesday, Shane Dolan for Sparky, but unlike Easter Tuesday they got off to a horrible start. Two minutes were on the clock when a clumsy tackle from Cookie and a theatrical dive from Cleary, resulted in referee Colin Burns, awarding a harsh penalty. Cleary got up to take the spot-kick himself and Dwayne made an excellent save, but unfortunately the ball fell to Cleary and he despatched the ball into the net to give his side a 1-0 lead.

The United defence seemed to be at sixes and sevens and Ruddy in particular was having a hard time and was lucky not to pick up a yellow card for a bad foul, but it later turned out referee Burns was in a benevolent mood, when Ruddy was felled by a deliberate elbow later, the ref took no action against the culprit. United got on level terms when from a Thommo cross, Cush got his head to it and the unfortunate Mark Burns (no relation to the ref I think), could only turn the ball into his own net, I'm sure Cush claimed that was the strength of his header, no matter it brought the scores level. That goal came in the 10th minute and 9 minutes later United took the lead and Cush had a hand in this one as well. From a Connolly clearance, Cush launched the ball over the DC defence and with former player Shane Dolan looking like the favourite to get on the end of it, keeper Connolly rushed from his line and as the ball was outside his box headed it. Unfortunately it fell to United's Gary Liggett and he promptly lobbed the stranded keeper to give United a 2-1 lead.

Back came DC and they were unlucky not to level things when Mark Miskimmon found space inside United's box, but his shot, in spite of beating Dwayne, cannoned off the post and former United player Paul McAreavey skied the ball over the bar with the goal at his mercy. United stepped up the pace and Thommo missed two chances in quick succession, when delaying his shot too long, with United fans urging him to shoot. DC were in an uncompromising mood and Burns let them off with some bad tackles and two deliberate handballs and another blatant dive from Cleary. United were awarded two free kicks, one from either side of the pitch, but our dead-ball experts, Cush and Kane didn't trouble the keeper. With halftime approaching Thommo went down in a crunching tackle, which ref Burns didn't see anything wrong with and despite receiving treatment and continuing on until the ref blew his whistle, Thommo didn't come out for the 2nd half. Whether this was due to the injury or just a tactical switch by Spike, I honestly don't know, but Spike tends to keep Cush running the wing where he is standing and that would necessitate a change of personnel.

2nd half
The halftime time talk among the small band of Sky Blues fans was mainly centred on the rumours that, Dwayne looks bound for Coleraine, which would be a blow to United's hopes of improving and Spike chasing another central defender from a Championship side in East Antrim, I cannot say anymore at this time. As expected Thommo didn't come out for the 2nd half and Ally took his place and Cush switched to the right wing. United were going in search of the insurance goal, if there is such a thing and stepped up the pace but Liggie seemed to get the ball stuck under his feet on a couple occasions when he was in good positions. Jenks was making some powerful runs but couldn't find the telling pass to unlock the stubborn an uncompromising DC defence. About 10 mins in the half, McAreavey escaped a booking, when having won the ball he carried on with studs showing and took out Cush and despite protesting his innocence to the ref (dissent), he wasn't booked. From the free-kick United won a corner on the right, courtesy of McAreavey and prepared to take a short one and I was screaming 'not a short one'. Luckily Ally ignored me and passed the ball to Cush and from his cross Shane Dolan hammered the ball into the net to give United a 3-1 lead.

We should have scored more, we were that dominant, but despite our good passing, Liggie in particular seemed unsure and that led Sammy Patterson to question his fitness level, no doubt Spike and the three baldies will get him fit for next season. Spike rung the changes, taking off Tony Kane and bringing on Johnny Taylor in 66 mins and 5 mins later replacing Cush with Alan D. In between these two subs, the ref finally lost patience and booked Ciaran Burns for a brutal tackle, but worse was to follow with 5 mins to go. United, despite having several chances to score and put the match beyond doubt were clinging on at this stage and when DC won a corner, they had a bit of defending to do. It was backs to the wall stuff, but the ball fell to our Captain Jenks and he was bringing the ball out of defence and was brutally scythed down by Peter McCann, surely a red card for this tackle from behind that left our Captain writhing on the ground and calling for attention and giving the sign that he was unable to continue. Referee Burns added insult to injury by only flourishing a yellow card and our Captain was stretchered off which reduced us to 10 men for the remaining minutes of the match.

I'm always amazed when a team is reduced to 10 men for whatever reason, mainly I suppose when a man is sent-off, they up their game and so it proved yesterday. United continued to create chances and how ref Burns didn't a flourish another yellow when Archie was unceremoniously body checked when on a surging run, beggars belief. Alan D was struggling to find a pass and in the 4th minute of injury time he finally found one and put Ally away on his own. As I said at the top of the page, this didn't fill me with confidence, but Ally rounded the keeper and from an acute angle found the net to make the score 4-1 to United. Thirty seconds after the re-start the ref blew his whistle to leave DC firmly in 11th position in the table and facing a play-off with a Championship side to determine their Premier league status and United had moved to within 3 points of 7th placed Portadown, bring on the Whites, there's life in the league yet, I hope.

Dwayne (8), Kane (7)(Sub: Taylor 7,), Ruddy (6), Cookie (7), Archie (7), Thommo (5)(Sub: Ally (8), Gavin (6), Jenks (6), Cush (8)(Sub: Alan D 6,), Dolan (7), Liggie (7)

Man of the match: Cush