Just Enuff!

United did just enough to beat the Point yesterday, with a scoreline of 2-0, but it could and should have been more. In fact United were so dominant in the first half, that had they scored six goals, it wouldn't have flattered them and they were gilt edged chances, not half chances. United manager Spike, showed one change from the side that lost to Chickenville in the Charity Shield at Solitude last Saturday, new signing Kyle McVey, came in for the injured Archie. For anybody that wasn't there last Saturday and the Sky Blue Sport team were among the absentees, I'll name the players and the subs.

Dwayne was in  goals, we had a back four of McCullagh, JT, McVey and Steeky. The midfield was made up of Gawley, Captain Jenks, Alan D and Ally. Leaving new signing Matthew Tipton (hereafter known as Tippers) and the our talisman, Cush up front. The subs were Cookie Munster, Mike Ruddy, Gavin, Sparky and Darboy. There were only 3 mins on the clock when Cush got in a shot, but it was well wide, but I was glad to see the confidence was still there, for Cush was our leading scorer last season with 17 goals to his credit. Then Neal Gawley had a chance to put in a telling cross, when he found himself in acres of space about three yards in from the by-line, but he drove the ball harmlessly wide.

Then Tippers found his strike partner Cush with 5 mins on the clock near the six-yard box and although Cush used his strength to find space, he shot straight at the Point keeper, Jonathan Parr, who saved easily. United won a corner two mins later and Gawley took it, but it was a low ball, nearly a pass, which McVey missed, but it fell to JT and he blasted it over the bar, yet another chance gone begging. this seemed to stir the Point and they mounted their first real attack and JT and McVey seemed to get in each others way but McDonnell's shot cleared the crossbar, an early scare for the Sky Blues defence. With 15 mins on the clock, Cush found space at the edge of the area and curled a delightful left-foot shot inside Parr's post, with the goalie motionless, to give United the lead and score our first competitive goal of the season.

United were rampant at this stage and should have scored at least four more goals, as first Tippers missed a glorious chance to open his account, when he worked a free kick routine with Ally, but he shot wide when well placed. Then Marky (McCullagh), found Cush running through, but with the goal at his mercy, Cush blasted his shot wide of the goal. Neal Gawley was influential in everything United did and from his corner, Kyley (McVey), headed wide. Then from Neal's a cross about a minute later, Tippers found Ally in space on the left, but he, not for the first time in his United career, didn't force the keeper into a save. From yet another nice move, Tippers persistence paid off when he won another corner on the right and from Gawley's inch perfect cross Cush was frustrated as his header struck Tippers and bounced wide.

Worse was to follow when, Cush found himself in space at yet another corner, his goal-bound shot hit Tippers again and the chance was lost. With ten mins to go before halftime, Cush found Alan D with a clever free-kick, but Alan delayed his shot and a defender got in a timely clearance. The United central pairing of the two Alan's in midfield was creaking at the seams every-time the Point attacked and from one these attacks, JT, slipped but was relieved to see Hughes shot easily gathered by Dwayne. United didn't heed this warning and the Point nearly got on level terms, when Kyley and JT got in another mix-up and allowed McCabe to wriggle through between them, but Dwayne saved their blushes with a good block with his feet.

Before that Cush was lucky to escape a booking, when clearly offside and the referee's whistle sounded, he blasted the ball over the bar in frustration, but ref Burns just had a quiet word with him, but that is Cush. Burns  had a quiet game for him, no controversial decisions so far in the match, but where did he get  two mins of added time from in the first half, I'll never know. In this added time United had another chance, but Neal Gawley's cross was just too high for Tippers to get on the end of. United had survived a scare when the lino at the Farm Lodge end, where we were defending in the first half, raised his flag for offside, even though the offender didn't chase the ball and another player who was on-side did, but the offside flag stood, yet another let-off for the home side.

2nd half
United took the field with no changes  and I was not surprised, but I reasoned that we needed to strengthen our central midfield with either Sparky or Gavin, but Glenn obviously thought different. We spurned another two chances when first, Tippers run and snapshot just finished the wrong side of the post and them from a long throw-in from Gawley, Kyley could only head weakly at the Point keeper. Ref burns made his first controversial decision when JT got the better of Hughes in a tussle for the ball and when he attempted  to run with the ball he was clearly fouled but Burns waved play on. Hughes picked himself up but his shot was narrowly wide, yet another let-off for United, JT, I thought was guilty of show-boating, he had a chance to clear his lines but didn't take them, but that is JT in a nutshell.

United made the Point pay for this benevolence in front of goal, when Steeky's left-wing cross eluded everyone but Gawley, who cut inside and beat Parr all ends up with a powerful left-foot strike to the keeper's left and then celebrated with a spectacular somersault.  This second goal gave United the cushion they were looking for and I expected Spike to make changes to his personnel. United should have sealed the points with a third goal when Cush's right-foot cross was laid off to Tippers by Ally, but Parr parried (sorry about the  unintended pun), the shot and it eventually fell to in-rushing Cush, but suffice to to say his shot was wide of the target. Then it was the Point's turn and when McCabe found space on the right, Dwayne came our rescue with a one-handed save to his right.

United had two last chances to seal the game beyond any reasonable doubt, when first Parr came out of his box to clear a ball that was nearly on the touch-line and his clearance fell to Tippers, but instead of steadying himself he shot weakly at the untended goal and them a minute later Alan D released Tippers again, but Parr was equal to his shot. Neal Gawley came off injured in 72mins to be replaced by Darboy and at the same juncture Alan D was replaced by Gavin. United seemed to be content to soak up the pressure from this moment on and Hughes forced another a good save from Dwayne when tipping his rising shot over the bar for a corner. Dwayne showed his class by calmly grabbing the corner in his six-yard box. With less than ten mins remaining Spike made his final substitution, replacing Ally with Sparky, leaving Cookie and Ruddy kicking their heels on the bench.

United saw out the remainder of the match without too much trouble, but I can't help thinking it should have been easier. They'll be harder matches to come, starting with our next game at Seaview on Wednesday and the home match with the high flying Ports, early league leaders on goal difference from second placed United, on next Saturday. All in all it was a good performance and Kyley had a good debut and Tippers tried but on another day, he could have scored a hat-trick. Neal Gawley was a revelation, what with his corners, free-kicks and long throw-ins, he really looked the part. But it was nice to see Cush back to form, we missed him in the closing stages of last season and the let down that was the Irish cup final, but he showed signs yesterday that he was returning to his best, long may it continue he really is the King!

Dwayne (8), Marky (8), Steeky (7), JT (6), Kyley (8), Gawley (8) (Sub: Darboy 6,), Alan D (7) (Sub: Gavin 7,), Captain Jenks (7), Ally (7) (Sub: Sparky 7,), Tippers (6), Cush (8)

Man of the match: Cush