Shell Shocked!

I'm literally shell shocked reliving the game yesterday against Chickenville. It wasn't that it was that pulsating, I can't believe how United threw away a gilt edged chance, to record a rare home victory over the Champions. Admittedly they weren't helped by an incompetent referee, but we always knew he was incompetent and I and the 'Sport team, expected nothing else from him and he didn't disappoint. Spike surprised me in the fact that he for once changed his policy of never changing a winning team and Cush replaced Ally.

That meant a place on the bench for club Captain Jenks, alongside the hero of United's victory over the scum, Mike Ruddy, as well as Tony, the afore mentioned Ally and the unlucky Kyley. JT was Captain for the day and he won the toss and elected that we should play defending the Fisherwick end in the first half. United almost got off to a dream start, barely four mins was on the clock when Thommo found Darboy, but the former scum striker, shot weakly at United's ex-keeper Ryan Brown and he made a routine save, but it was begging to be put away.

The linesman at the Fisherwick end seemed to think the off-side rule had been done away with and Garret of Chickenville when clearly off-side, was allowed to run with the ball but Marky managed to divert the cross with his head for a corner. This left the United defenders in two minds whether to try to play the off-side trap, which only works with an alert linesman and they were caught after 15 mins when Mulvenna burst through, but Dwayne stood tall and managed to get a touch and JT was on hand to complete the clearance.

Mulvenna wasn't finished and he tackled JT from behind, a callous act, but Burns took no action save for awarding the free-kick. Thommo went on a mazy run and managed to get a shot in, but unfortunately he just missed the target and controversy reared its ugly head mins later, when United's talisman, Cush, who had been strangely quiet, eluded a tackle and charged for goal only to be chopped down. Burns reluctantly gave the foul, but didn't even talk to the perpetrator. From the resultant free-kick, Gawley beat the 'wall' but the ball sailed harmlessly past the post with keeper Brown nowhere, yet another chance gone begging.

Then from Steeky's left-wing cross, Darboy found Gawley, but he headed tamely at keeper Brown. At this point i turned to Sammy P and said maybe we would pay dearly for those missed chances. Thommo again found a bit of space and found Tippers in space, but he shot straight at Brown who saved well, yet another chance gone. But United finally got the goal they fully deserved, when from another Steeky cross,, Gawley found Tippers in acres of space and the former Linfield striker, glanced header past the outstretched arms of keeper Brown and into the net.

The Chickenville players were stunned but referee Burns took a hand in proceeding as he allowed JT had fouled McDaid, the former scum player and measured out 15 paces for the United's defensive wall. McDaid, who had made a miracles recovery from his injuries (he hurt himself diving), took the free-kick himself, but Dwayne managed to divert it away from goal. In another Chickenville attack attack, JT, was adjudged to have obstructed McDaid, but what could he do, but Burns couldn't get the yellow card out quick enough.

From the resultant free-kick, this time only back the requisite ten yards, the United 'wall' did its job and the ball was deflected onto the top of the net. The lino missed yet another blatant off-side and Archie came to our rescue with a timely tackle. I failed to see the 4th official's , so I don't know how much time was added, but JT was fouled in this added time but the perpetrator got off scot free (Omar gets annoyed at this term).. Despite the blatant cheating by the Chickenville players and the incompetence of the referee and the lino at the Fisherwick end, United went into their halftime cuppa deservedly leading 1-0.

2nd half
United started brightly in this half taking the game to the champions of the last two seasons and when we won a free-kick after 5 mins, Cush decided he should take it. From fully 35 yards and he forced keeper Brown to beat the ball out, with a thunderous shot. Cush was rampant at this stage and he cut in from the right and released a tremendous left-foot shot that Brown managed to divert for a corner, that brought Omar to his feet, there's life in the old man yet. Chickenville's manager had seen enough and he replaced Garret and Mulvenna with Gormely and Donnelly. United should've have increased their lead, two mins later when Darboy headed wide from a Gawley cross.

That was nearly Gawley's last act as he was replaced by Tony. Tippers was lucky to get away with catching a Chickenville defender with his arm, but referee Burns ignored the offence, much to the annoyance of Chickenville fans and management. But he proved later where his loyalties lay, when he gave them his 'get out of jail free' card. Tony was barley on the pitch two mins, when he latched onto a weak header from a Reds player and despite beating Brown, he slewed his shot wide, yet another gilt edged chance passed up.

Three mins later it was United's turn to breathe a sigh of relief, when Donnelly wriggled free, but his cross shot trickled by Dwayne's left post. The warning signs were there to see for United, but they didn't heed them and then referee Burns played his trump card. United were mounting an attack and as the cross came in a Chickenville player attempted hand-pass and the lino immediately signalled for a penalty.  The United players stopped, but couldn't believe their eyes when, Burns ignored the penalty and actually give the Reds a free-kick presumably for handball against Tippers.

Despite the lino's flag, Burns didn't go and talk to him and I thought does he referee Gaelic games as well and he ruled it a legitimate hand-pass. This theory was compounded  later in the game, when keeper Brown fielded a ball, clearly outside his area and the referee ignored United protests. United let their guard down and Chickenville took advantage of this, as Steeky deflected Curran's shot past the unsighted Dwayne to draw the Reds level at one apiece. United were shell shocked and Spike decided to act with four mins to go he brought on his Captain Jenks and Ruddy, to replace Thommo and the unfortunate Steeky, whose deflection had drawn Chickenville level.

United had played on earlier in the match with a Reds player feigning injury, much to the annoyance of the Reds management, but he didn't even need the physio, blatant cheating or what. Chickenville broke United fans hearts then with a killer goal in the 88th minute, when Winchester drove a pile-driver into the top corner, from a weak JT clearance. As we approached injury time and the visitors on the attack, one of their players went down injured and instead of kicking the ball out, that they wanted United to do earlier they continued to attack.

Burns added insult to injury, if you'll pardon the expression, by stopping play as United cleared the ball and tried to mount an attack of their own. The player in question, was shown to be feigning injury, but Burns no action, not a surprise. I failed to see the 4th official's board yet again but I think it had to be deep in stoppage time, when we were mounting a last ditch attack, the ball fell to Captain Jenks near the penalty box and he rifled a shot past the startled Brown to tie the scores at 2-2. It was no more than we deserved and moments later the referee brought proceeding to a halt.

I can't help feeling we had been cheated, but in all honesty we should've had the points safely in the bag before the shenanigans of referee Burns, or best described as cheating, there's no way he could be that incompetent. I foolishly thought nobody could rival Heth's performance at Mourneview against Glenavon, but I have to take my hat off to Burns, he surpassed it. He showed a yellow card to three or four of our players and didn't book a single one from visitors, biased or what, but what I have come to expect from the bungling Newtownabbey man, he really beggars belief!

Dwayne (8), Marky (8), Steeky (8) (Sub: Ruddy 7,), Archie (8), JT (8), Gawley (7) (Sub: Tony 8,), Gavin (8), Thommo (8) (Sub: Jenks 8,), Cush (8), Darboy (7), Tippers (8)

Man of the match: Archie