Ugly Draw!

United received devastating news prior to this match that number 1 stopper, Dwayne Nelson, will be missing for up to a calendar year when he was diagnosed with a  cruciate knee ligament injury, on top of his chipped bone. As if that wasn't enough, his back-up, Stuarty Addis will be missing for at least six months, with a broken finger with complications, the result of an horrendous tackle from Stephen 'one cap Carson on Boxing day, he got only a yellow card, but Stuarty's finger will need extensive surgery and extensive physio if he's ever going to get full use of it again. All of us in the Sky Blue Sport team wish Dwayne and Stuarty a speedy recovery and hope to see them donning a Sky Blue jersey again, however long it takes.

In light of this United, who had signed Yohann Lacroix on-loan from the Crues, had to delve in the transfer market and sign Aaron Shanahan, formerly with Shamrock Rovers, on the recommendation of former United keeper, Dermot O'Neill and he's signed until the end of this season, I wish him well. United as expected picked the same team as won at Coleraine on Boxing day, with Frenchy Lacroix in nets, for Stuarty. Frenchy was called  into action early on, barely five mins had gone in fact, when he stopped a first-time volley, when Henderson got on the end of Faulkner's cross from the left and five mins later he dived to his right to palm away a 30yard free-kick from Andy Hunter.

United were struggling on the slick unnatural surface and they were intent on taking short free-kicks and this invariable ended up giving possession to the opposition, much to the displeasure of their fans, mysrlf included. However they did carve an opening for themselves when Cush, got the better of Armstrong on the right and picked out Thommo in the area, but his weak header was easy for former United keeper Alan Blayney, on-loan from Linfield. United's day could be summed in one man's experience, their defensive king-pin, JT. JT was commanding in defence and he was breaking with the ball, but he held onto it too long and gave it away to the Ards players, this happened at least four times, so frustrating. When we won a corner on the right Ally took it short to Cush, but his cross was blocked, what a waste i thought.

Knowles, another on-loan signing from Linfield, found Hunter with a free-kick and Frenchy was relieved to see his header go wide. Then in a spell of United pressure, Sparky missed a sitter when he got on the end of a Thommo header, shooting over the bar from six yards, when he surely had to hit the target or make the keeper work, a dreadful miss. Thommo was involved yet again near halftime, when his shot deflected off a defender into the grateful arms of Blayney. I was thinking referee Evan Boyce didn't bring any cards with him when he let Armstrong away with a heavy tackle, but United instead of punishing this foul, took it short once again and lost possession, but the referee's whistle for halftime saved us any further embarrassment.

2nd half
I was hoping for an improvement in the 2nd period, but I was disappointed, we played in the same disjointed way. Ally, restored to the corner taking duties, was struggling with his placement and the Ards defenders dealt with them all comfortably. From one of them the ball came back to Ally and into touch and he took a quick throw-in to Tony K. It was not a good one and on the slick surface Tony did not get it under control and an Ards player 'robbed' him and sped up the wing, with Ally in pursuit. I thought Ally had got a good tackle in, but the ref gave a free to the home side and Ally in frustration kicked the ball away, the ref promptly booked Ally, which was harsh. He had let the home team away with far worse tackles, but he chose Ally to be the first name taken, even if was for kicking the ball away, it was harsh nonetheless.

The free-kick led to a corner and Ards nearly broke the deadlock when Armstrong's  free header, struck the base of the post and the rebound went over the bar from an Ards boot, a lucky let-off for United. Just 5 mins later, from a corner on the left, JT missed the target with free headed from Ally's kick. A minute later, Archie found space on the left, but his his pass over the face of the goal found no-one in a Sky Blue jersey, yet another chance gone begging. Spike decided to make changes, Cush and Sparky were taken off and Neal Lowry and Alan D, of all people came on. The play had been stopped for a free-kick to us just over the halfway line and Alan D decided to take it, or waste it, is a better description.

I fail to see what Alan D coming on as a sub does in a positive manner, better to bring a striker on when your chasing the game, but Spike seems to think Alan D is the man. Neal Lowry found Thommo in space on the edge of the area, but his shot was capably dealt with by Blayney, but in all fairness he should have done better, it was a chance missed. Knowles tried to con the ref with a dive as JT tackled him and at the other end the ref was unimpressed when JT himself took a tumble. Mario had come on for Thommo and he had to chance to shine, but he couldn't get into the game, surely it would have been better to have brought MM on, or is he on the way out too. Frenchy had the last say in the 4mins of added time, when he smothered the ball at Faulkner's feet when he looked likely to score and United escaped with a draw!

Frenchy Lacroix  (8), Kane (6), Archie (6), Cookie (7), JT (6), Thommo (7) (Sub: Mario 6,), Sparky (6) (Sub: Alan D 5,), Gavin (6), Cush (6) (Sub: Lowry 6,), Jenks (6), Ally (6)

Man of the match: Frenchy Lacroix