Don't Know!

It may seem a strange headline to start my match report with, but it sums my view of the game between Linfield and United today. Like all every other United fan, I was stuck behind the goals at the Boucher Road end of Windsor Park. Anything that happened over the halfway line, 70yards from my position, I had to rely on the tannoy or eagle eye fans, for that other end of the ground, was a blur to me, I might as well been sat at home. In future I think I may as well stay at home, there's no enjoyment in being at a game you can't see anyway.

For the record, our manager Spike didn't heed the many warnings dished out to him by fans and named a centre-midfield pairing ,of Captain Jenks and Thommo. In my opinion and the vast majority of informed opinion, this was just asking for trouble and we got it in abundance in the first half. But all looked rosy with 8 mins gone when JT headed into the net from a Gawley corner. But it wasn't to last. It took Linfield just 9 mins to draw level, when I'm told Dwayne came for a corner and didn't get anything of the ball and Heggarty of Linfield headed home team level at 1-1.

No doubt Dwayne dropped a defensive clanger, but where was our defenders, there was no-one covering the post, maybe they like me, were wishing they had stayed at home. Five mins later Cush was adjudged to have fouled a Blues player near the edge of the penalty box and from the resultant free-kick the ball rebounded off the post and Heggarty was on hand to head past the stranded Dwayne, for his and Linfield's second goal, at least that's what I was told. United spurned a great chance to draw level, when from Gawley free-kick, Jenks and JT seemed to get in each others way, with the home defenders nowhere.

This was to prove a costly miss for United, as a minute later, midfielder Aaron Burns was allowed to run into our box, with Thommo in his wake and he beat Dwayne with a toe poke, to give the home team a 3-1 lead. Surely Spike would see the error of his ways and take off either Jenks or Thommo and bring on Sparky or Tony.  But he didn't and we managed to cling until halftime, with the ref letting the home team away with some questionable tackles and once as we were trying to clear the ball, a Linfield player led with his shoulder in an off the ball challenge, but ref McNabb merely talked to the culprit.

2nd half
Spike made a change at halftime, bring on Tony and taking off Marky, but leaving our non-tackling midfield duo on. But we started to play a bit, at least that what I'm told we started to do, as I was at least 100 yards off in the distance. With 19 mins gone in this half we got a lifeline as a JT header from a Gawley corner was adjudged to have crossed the goal-line, making the score 3-2 in the home teams favour. We weren't sure whether to applaud this goal, which nobody was sure had crossed the line, but the referee and lino gave it and so it counted.

Its true to say that the Linfield goal led a charmed life after this turn of events and referee McNabb showed where his loyalties lay with a yellow card for United's Tony, for a late tackle near the halfway line, while letting Linfield players away with deliberate hand-balls and kicking the ball away when United won free-kicks. Darboy missed a glorious chance to give United a share of the spoils when he shot weakly at Tuffey in the Linfield goal. Spike had seen enough and took Darboy off with Ally taking his place and pushing Cush up front with Tippers.

Four mins later, Spike withdrew Thommo and put Sparky on, which I thought. was too little, too late. The United players tried to get an equaliser but despite hitting the post on one raid, they couldn't get a decisive shot on goal. Linfield had chances to put the game beyond us and in one of these, they were thwarted by a good save from Dwayne, injuring himself in the process. Despite 4 mins of added time, United couldn't get back on level terms, but when the ref finally blew his whistle, they were applauded warmly off the pitch by their loyal fans.

Dwayne (7), Marky (6) (Sub: Tony 7), Steeky (6), Archie (6), JT (8), Gawley (7), Thommo (5) (Sub: Sparky (6), Jenks (5), Cush (7), Darboy (5) (Sub: Ally (6), Tippers (5)

Man of the match: JT