Taylor Made!

United came from behind yesterday to snatch an unlikely draw in this derby game against the Coleraine scum and with a bit more composure could have got all three points. In truth United didn't deserve any more than they got, for in a first half dominated by the scum, the Sky Blues were decidedly lucky to be only two goals down at the break. The scum should had more to show for they dominated the chances but United hung on and kept the match alive. As expected, Spike started with the same team as Tuesday night and only one change on the bench, Cookie for Gavin. United started brightly and although the scum had the first shot on target in 5 mins, it was United who took the lead 4 mins later, at least I thought they had, when keeper Drummond could only palm a Tony Kane free-kick away and as it came back in Cush headed home, but referee Tim Marshall disallowed the goal for an imaginary push.

That disallowed goal meant that the scum knew they only had to go down with a groan and Tim would allow that they were fouled and they 'milked it' from that point on. At the slightest touch they would go down clutching their head, leg or any part of their body. In one instance in the second half 'one cap' was lying clutching his head, but when he realised the scum were on the attack he miraclessly recovered and joined in. The scum began to get an edge and aided and abetted by the weak referee, they won numerous free-kicks by diving but they took the lead on 25 mins when Marky allowed Eoin Bradley to turn in the box and he squeezed a shot past Dwayne and into the net. I thought originally Bradley was pulling Marky's shirt but ref Tim saw nothing and allowed the goal. When 8 minutes later Archie made a last ditch tackle on 'one cap' the United fans were astounded to see ref Tim give a foul.

After rolling about 'one cap' got up and added insult to injury, by beating Dwayne from 20 yards, a marvellous free-kick it has to said, but it was a free-kick that shouldn't have been. Little was seen of United in attack and MM was struggling with his passing and despite winning at least 3 corners we couldn't get anything going. The scum missed 2 gilt edged chances, when Bradley scuffed his shot with only Dwayne to beat and later when Canning strolled into the box, drew a tackle (why he didn't go down I'll never know, Tim would have been fooled I know),beat his man and when Dwayne advanced and with an open goal, Canning could only shoot past the post, a lucky let-off for United. That was almost on the stroke of halftime and it was obvious that a change of personnel would have to made if United were going to salvage anything from this derby. With the corporate dinner taking place, we the 'rank and file' fans were amazed to hear the 'half an half' was only £90, a bit of creative accounting if ever I saw one, but then that's to be expected.

2nd half
United took the field for the 2nd half with one change, winger Robinson on for Archie and this meant we had to switch to 4,4,2 formation. This substitution almost bore fruit immediately, when Robbo delivered a cross to the far post, but MM headed weakly at the keeper, a chance gone begging. Mike Ruddy, back to his old form, before he got that horrendous injury last season, was linking up well with Cush, but Cush seemed to be struggling and it was no surprise when he made way for Ally in 62 mins. Two mins later United won a corner on the right and Ally's pinpoint in-swinger was headed home by the unmarked Johnny, despite Bradley,s attempt to save it. United had got a lifeline and the fans were delirious and the scum were rattled. How Stephen Lowry wasn't booked by the ref for dissent I'll never know, he berated the linesman and the referee about something, but got away with it.

The United comeback was complete, when Mike Ruddy won a corner on the right and despite taking it short, won another corner and from this corner, again taken by Ally, Johnny again rose unchallenged and found the net with a powerful header. The United fans including yours truly were ecstatic and hoping that United could go on and win it. Alas we didn't press home our advantage and allowed the scum to regroup and aided and abetted by some queer decisions by ref Tim, they got back into the match. Robbo it seems has a problem with his feet, he can't keep them and he found space in the box and fell on at least 3 occasions, it wasn't a dive, he just seemed to lose his footing, something to work on, but he has pace to burn. If we can get that pace harnessed and teach him to keep his feet, he could be a real find. With 10 mins remaining Liggie came on for MM, but there was to be no match winning performance from Liggie who seems to be struggling to fit in to this United team.

Dwayne kept us in the match diving full length to keep out a Lowry shot at the expense of a corner and we were under pressure for a time. Memories came flooding back to that Irish cup match last season when United had got back on terms, only for the scum to snatch it in the last few mins. There was to be no eleventh hour winner yesterday and Johnny was denied his hat-trick header from another Ally corner, when he could only head the ball down. Deep into added time, Mario got a merited red card when he needlessly elbowed McIlmoyle in full view of the linesman (and me) and was rightly sent off. That he was provoked I've no doubt, but he shouldn't have taken the 'law into his own hands' and I couldn't understand the United fans clapping him as he was going off and he couldn't help telling McIlmoyle that he was shirking, for once I think the ref had no choice, but it was one of the few decisions he got right on the day.

The ref blew his whistle early in my book and I couldn't help thinking he wants to get off before this crowd turns ugly. We had salvaged a point and stopped the run of defeats, but the search for a win against the scum goes on. Is this the end for Fergie's 4,3,3 system? I and the rest of the Sky Blue crew definitely hope so, but maybe it will get an outing at Dungannon next week. I've been asked to thank the web master (ASD), on United's official web site for fixing the preview of this match so Omar can view it. As I made my way from the ground I couldn't help thinking that we have no match winner in our panel, somebody to bring on when the chips are down and to galvanise us into action, is there such a player around the Irish league, I sincerely hope so. Maybe that is Fergie's priority, that and tying Johnny up to a long term contract, then and only then, will we be a team to be reckoned with!


Dwayne (8), Kane (7), Ruddy (8), Marky (7), Johnny (8), Thommo (7), Jenks (7), Archie (7)(Sub: Robbo 7,), MM (6)(Sub: Liggie 6,), Mario (5), Cush (7)(Sub: Ally 8,)

Man of the match: Johnny