Below Par(r)!

The Sky Blues turned in another abysmal performance to get the Sky Blue Sport's crew winter break off to a damp start. We were hoping against hope that United had took on the lessons learned from last season, that they should treat every game the same, but they flopped and allowed newcomers Warrenpoint Town to celebrate their first victory in the Premier league. The result is all the more galling when I consider the number of chances we frittered away in the first half. That's six points we have dropped against the newly promoted teams and now there are even closer to us in the Dankse Premier table. Not even a juicy semi-final against the Crues at Seaview, which ex-scum player, John Devine picked out of the hat for us, could lighten the hearts of Sky Blue fans, we are sick to the teeth of paying good money and witnessing mediocre performances, the players, if they have any sense of decency, should forego their match fee in the wake of this dire performance.

Of course if they did, the shock would be too much for United fans to endure, they've been tried and tried and tried again and it would be true to say we have only handful of players, playing for the shirt. We could've have got away with a scoreless draw today, except for a 'clanger' from Tony Kane, when with plenty time to clear the ball into touch, if he could not get it into safety, he merely set the visitors up and they carved through our defence like a white and red tornado. Spike made two changes in his defence from Tuesday night, out went Cookie and Steely and in came Johnny and Ruddy. Thommo came into midfield therefore releasing Cush to be upfront with Liggie and Ally and MM dropped down to the bench. With barely 5 mins gone Marky was 'taken to the cleaners' by Daniel Hughes and Marky was indebted to Dwayne for sparing his blushes as he rushed from his goal and shepherded the player wide, a let-off for us. Ten minutes later Cush received an angled ball from Ruddy and turned his marker, but his drive was easily stopped by Point keeper Parr.

Five mins later Parr stopped a shot at point-blank range from Ally, following a knock-down from Jenks, a good save, but Ally should have given him no chance. We continued to fritter away the chances in the first half, Liggie driving an effort wide and another across the face of goal, but no-one could get the vital touch. With halftime approaching I was getting worried and I thought to my self 'they bound to get one chance and it'll be curtains for us', but though they weren't out of the match, they never troubled us unduly. Alan Jenks made a mess of a good chance created by Ally on the left, by jumping too early and Cush failed to his head to a cross from Kane. Then on the stroke of halftime, Johnny Taylor rose unmarked to an Ally corner and headed wide with the goal at his mercy. I didn't see the 4th official holding up his board with halftime approaching but when we get this giant scoreboard that is in the pipeline, we should know all the ins and outs of the match, that's assuming that they'll be a match, the way this team's playing, I very much doubt it.

2nd half
We didn't make any changes at halftime and for the 4th match in succession we were out before the opposition, the Point on the hand did make a substitution, Stephen Hughes for Grant and what a substitution this turned out to be. He had hardly been on the field 5 mins (4 mins exactly), when he got on the end of a McCabe cross after Tony Kane had made a hash out of a simple clearance and presented the ball to the opposition and we paid the ultimate penalty for this act of benevolence. I thought Fergie will spring into action now and get some fresh faces on and change the system, but like the 'Iron Lady', Fergie's not for turning. He finally made changes in the 65 mins, replacing Liggie and Ally with Dolan and MM, but he didn't change the system. Cush seemed to be struggling for he was not at his ebullient self and I thought as Alan D was making ready, he was coming off, but it was Thommo who made way for Alan D. Cush proved to me he was not at his best, when he found himself alone in the penalty area and passed, definitely not the Cush way. Johnny missed anther chance when he shot weekly at Parr'

As befits role of reporter, the man I consider to be the worst player on the pitch, United Captain Alan Jenkins almost became our saviour, when he found Mario unmarked in the six-yard box, but the big Dubliner with the goal at his mercy somehow headed against a Point defender and the chance was lost. The referee brought the match to a close and we were left to reflect on a topic that's been the subject of a few results that have gone in our favour, the taking of chances. We took our chances in the matches against Crues and Ports and they missed theirs, now it seems it is our turn and we need to do something about it sooner, rather than later. we have the first of a double header when we travel to Ballinmallard to take on the ducks next Friday night, without I might add the Sky Blue crew, who will be in sunny Spain getting some R & R to tide us thought the months ahead, but we'll be there in spirit and raise a dram or two when United chalk up a victory (hopefully), come on Sky Blues, get your fingers out!

Dwayne (7), Kane (5), Ruddy (6), Marky (5), Johnny (6), Archie (6), Jenks (5), Thommo (6)(Sub: Alan D 6,), Cush (6), Liggie (6)(Sub: Dolan 5,), Ally (6)(Sub: MM 6,)

Man of the match: Dwayne