Lazing On!

This game left me thinking on the words to the Kinks song, 'lazing on a sunny afternoon' and I think its most appropriate in analysing yet another insipid display from United. United manager Spike saw fit to make four changes to his starting line-up of last Friday's capitulation to Glentoran. But in his wisdom he didn't drop the two main culprits of that defeat, JT and Cookie. However he did drop Tony Kane (or is he suspended), he didn't even make the subs bench and we had nobody to take our free-kicks and corners from the left, except the predictable Cush and his free kicks seemed like a magnet for Sean O'Neill's arms every time.

As I said Fergie made four changes to his line-up of last Friday, out went the aforementioned Tony Kane, as well as Alan D, Ally and surprise, surprise, Captain Jenks. Replacing them we had McBride, Thommo, Gavin and Sparky and we lined up for a 3,5,2 formation. That's three times Spike has tried the 3,5,2 formation and we got away with the first time against the IFA/Linfield in the Irish cup, more by good luck than design. We tried it the next match against the scum and we were cruelly exposed and only rescued with an 11th hour substitution, revealing our secret weapon, Mark Kelly.

Yesterday there was to be no 11th hour substitution, for the player concerned wasn't even in our panel, reportedly playing for the reserves. United gave a disjointed display, they couldn't string more than two passes together and the Crues like the Glens, were under-strength, but unlike us they got on with it. Crues missed the best chance when Owens slipped past Cookie but his header was wide and then Cush blasted wide for the Sky Blues, failing to work the keeper, but I fooled myself into believing it was only a sighter. Referee Raymond Crangle was at his bias best, epitomised when Leeman of Crues pushed Cush out of his way in the Crues box, but Crangle saw nothing.

Heatley eluded the United defence in one searing run, but his shot was wide of the target and moments later he was tripped by JT in the box but Crangle allowed he dived and booked him for it, I thought was a cast iron penalty myself. Jimer had a long range shot which didn't trouble O'Neill or Ogre as I call him. United's best chance fell to Crues old boy McBride, when he found himself a free shot at the target, but shot straight at Ogre. Heatley almost made us pay for this benevolence in front of goal when he he somehow got on to a through ball but Shan in the United goal saved our bacon at the expense of a corner. Thommo had to go off and was replaced by Captain Jenks just before halftime, I hope its not a serious injury.

2nd half
United spurned a great chance to take the lead when Captain Jenks perfect pass found Cush, but United's top scorer missed the target with the goal at his mercy, slicing his shot wide. Then just before the hour mark, Darboy could only poke the ball past the post when picking up a short headed back pass from Magowan of the Crues. But Ogre seemed to pull him down, but Crangle gave a goal-kick, nothing surprising there. United then failed to deal with a cross from ex-player Hanley, claiming offside, but the lino at that end had already missed two blatant offsides and this was a close one, he was never giving that. United had enough bodies in the box to deal with any eventuality but Caddell was allowed a free header and he found McAllister unmarked and had the simple task of finding the net.

It was obvious that a change was needed, but I was worried when I saw Alan D getting ready, we didn't another midfielder, we needed another striker. We needed to take Archie or McBride off and bring Ally on and go back to the tried trusted 4,3,3 formation. Before the sub could be made (we take an eternity to get a sub on for some unknown reason), JT had a header saved by Ogre at the expense of a corner and another header straight at Ogre. Glenn made his substitution then, taking off Sparky and bring on the enigma that is Alan D. This player frustrates me, he can unlock a defence with a pass so sublime or he can give the ball away to the opposition so easily as he does so often and he did in this match.

Spike made another sub and this time he took Gavin off and brought on of all people, Neal Gawley and this move necessitated Archie having to move into midfield, the mind boggles. United created one last chance, or to more precise Darboy created one last chance, when he ghosted past two defenders out on the right, but his rising left-foot shot didn't trouble Ogre. Referee Crangle saw fit to book a Crues player for an altercation with Gawley, which drew blood, United players seemed to be claiming it was an elbow and Gawley had to go off for treatment and when he tried to come on, Crangle didn't allow him to, making him wait fully two minutes and he seemed to explain his actions, as making sure the bleeding had stopped, where do they get them.

The paltry crowd of Sky Blue fans, myself included, were praying for the final whistle, so dire was the match and with two mins to go disaster struck as JT went down in our box, clutching his hamstring and had to go off and as United had used all their subs, we had to play out the remaining mins with ten men. Referee Crangle seemed to empathise with us, only added two mins of added time and then reverted to type,  playing four minutes of added time. As only three subs had come on, two mins was correct, but Crangle being Crangle had to have the last say. When he finally blew the whistle we couldn't wait to get out of the ground, bemoaning our failure to even threaten a top six finish in the league, as it was Glenavon beat the scum anyway and our goose was cooked, but why oh why, did we not give it our best shot?

We are now faced with six league games with little or nothing to play for save pride and the two home matches we are facing, against the Swifts and Ards, when the league splits, will not add much money to the coffers I'll warrant. We have a chance to try and restore some pride next week, when we entertain Glenavon, one of our potential opponents in the Irish cup final ,if we get past QUB, but we already lost to the other potential opponents yesterday and I don't hold out much hope for next Saturday's match. Hope springs eternal as they say and maybe by next Saturday I will get my enthusiasm back, but I very much doubt it, I feel a holiday to Spain coming up in the next few weeks, after the Irish cup that is!

Shan (7), Cookie (6), JT (6), Archie (6), Jimer (7), Thommo (6) (Sub: Jenks 7,), Sparky (7) (Sub: Alan D 5,), Gavin (6) (Sub: Gawley 5,), McBride(7), Darboy (6), Cush (6)

Man of the match: Stephen McBride