No Shield!

United definitely had the sword in last night's game at Chickenville, but alas they had no shield as their defence was full of cracks. United manager Glenn Ferguson, wielded the big axe, as he made six changes from his starting line-up of last Saturday.  Out went both fullbacks, Marky and Steeky, replaced by Tony and Archie and Darboy replaced top scorer, Cush. But it was midfield where we saw the biggest change, out went both wingers Ally and Gawley as well as Alan D and in came Captain Jenks, Mike Ruddy and Owen Kane.

There was a surprise on the bench when teenage sensation Matthew Shevlin was named along with Aaron Harris, Cush, Ally and Alan D. No place for Sparky and no place for the injured JT, who must be rated a doubt for Saturday's encounter v Glentoran at the Oval. Chickenville, defending the city end, put us under pressure right away and Dwayne came to our rescue after 5 mins, as we struggled to clear our lines. In another spell of pressure from the home team, a Garret shot was deflected for a corner and then we got our first opportunity, but Darboy was unable to get the ball before the convict Devlin in the Reds goal.

But with 10 mins gone we took a shock lead, when I thought Darboy was trying a pass, but instead he lobbed the convict from fully 35 yards to give us the lead 1-0. As the home team doubled their efforts to get back on terms, Archie was harshly booked for a foul on Garret, near the home dugout and the Reds management team were 'up in arms' and the ref succumbed to pressure and flourished the yellow card. That was just the start of referee McNabb controversies, which was to cost United dear as the game went on. Dwayne, came to our rescue with a timely intervention when Mulvenna threatened and Cookie headed over after a Tony Kane free-kick.

In a spell of pressure by the home team, the United defence held firm but they got a bit of luck when Dwayne missed his punch at a corner, but the ball sailed harmlessly over the touchline for a goal kick. Not much was seen of United in attack, but Tony drove the ball over the bar when well placed. United seemed to be weak on right flank and Tony seemed to have two men to deal with, nearly every time the home team mounted an attack. The Reds got a penalty 9 mins before halftime when Knowles 'took a dive', but ref McNabb pointed to the spot and McMullan duly scored to tie the scores up at one-apiece.

United spurned a glorious chance to get back in the lead, when Captain Jenks shot wide and the Reds missed too, first when Mulvenna fired over from 8 yards and then Garret failed to punish Kyley's mistake, shooting wide. It had been a pulsating  first half and when we heard the news from the other matches, we were anticipating a great  push from our side as we knew there was every chance that Bangor would dump the Glens and we would have only one senior team to beat to win the trophy, but alas the Reds had other ideas, the best laid plans of mice and men, eh!.

2nd half
Just 3 mins was on the clock when Gormley broke away on goal and Dwayne tried to stop him and collided with him, but the ref surprisingly didn't give the penalty. It looked more clear-cut than the penalty he gave in the first half, although in saying that, I was a 100 yards away from the incident, a real jaundiced view, Dwayne maybe got a touch of the ball and Cookie was there to clear. We were under pressure and we had no outlet and I for one was urging Spike to bring on Ally or Cush for us to have an outlet, but there was no activity on the United bench.

It seemed only a matter of time until the the home team scored and when Dwayne and his defenders got in a mix-up from a Gormely cross, Garret was on hand to score to give the Reds a 2-1 lead. The Reds were rampant at this time and the United bench was devoid of ideas and it seemed as if the game was slipping away from us. With 14 mins gone our midfield let Murray have space and he gave Dwayne no chance from the edge of the box, to give the Reds a 3-1 lead. Surely Fergie woukld have to act now, like Nero, he had fiddled while the Reds burned our defence.

We got a lifeline when Tippers found Caption Jenks a min later and he blasted the ball past the big fat convict Devlin from 6 yards to make the score 3-2 in the home teams favour. Darboy then missed a glorious chance when he headed wide from a Tony cross, when it looked easier to get it on target.  United finally made their sub with first Ally coming on to replace Ruddy and Cush coming on to replace Owen Kane mins later. But it was the home team who looked like extending their lead and sub McMurray, who replaced Gormley, came close on two occasions, but luckily United survived.

Dwayne came to our rescue when he made a point blank save from someone, I think it was Garret, but I was so far away I couldn't be sure. He came to our rescue once again, diving at the feet of McMurray and the Reds manager made a telling sub when he brought on McDaid for Mulvenna. With 10 mins to go go Archie and Garret had a clash of heads and the ref astounded the United supporters when he flourished a second yellow card for Archie which meant a sending-off. With United down to 10 men our manager took off Gavin, our only tackler in midfield and brought on Alan D, which meant we weren't going to get a look at young Shevlin, what a waste.

United went on the attack and they conjured up an equaliser with a minute to go in normal time as Ally was on hand to thump the ball home following a six man move. It was no more than United deserved and in the five mins of added time, they should have won it. Cush found himself with only the keeper to beat, but the fat convict managed divert the ball for a corner and Cookie couldn't get enough on his header to force it home from the corner. But the best chance came a min or so later when Darboy was found by Tippers, but the ex-Coleraine man, blasted the ball wider, with the goal at his mercy.

That proved to be the final nail in United's coffin, as the Reds broke and another ex-Coleraine striker, McDaid, showed how it should be done when he blasted the Reds into the semi-final by scoring their fourth goal to break United hearts. One min later the ref blew his final whistle and United had bowed out of the County Antrim Shield, but not without a fight. The old story bears true, if you don't take your chances. you can't expect to win games and we didn't take them. It will be interesting to see the team Fergie selects for our next game away to the Glens, I can hardly wait, COSB!

Dwayne (8), Tony (7), Archie (7), Cookie (7), Kyley (6), Owen Kane (6) (Sub: Cush 6,), Gavin (7) (Sub: Alan D 6,), Jenks (7), Ruddy (7) (Sub: Ally 7,), Darboy (6), Tippers (7)

Man of the match: Dwayne