Darboy Double!

When United signed Darboy (Darren Boyce for the uninitiated), he confessed he hadn't scored an Irish cup goal throughout his career. But he soon made short work of that statistic, scoring with a header, when United snatched a draw against Harlan and Wolfe Welders in the first round last January. United fans don't need reminding how crucial that goal was, not only did the Sky Blues win the replay, they went on to reach the Irish cup final. His two goals yesterday weren't as crucial, but they did put the icing on the cake on a  4-0 win over Amateur league side Crumlin Star.

United manager Spike, made one change from his starting line-up, with Marky filling in at central defensive in the absence of Cookie. We don't know whether Cookie was injured, but he didn't even make the bench and got a seat in the stand instead.  Fergie has continually ignored pleas from fans, to bolster his midfield with some tacklers or a tackler and so it was the same yesterday, when his midfield three were Thommo, Captain Jenks and Brian Mack, not a tackler in sight.

When the draw for the next round of the Irish cup, threw up an away tie to reigning Premier league champions Chickenville, I felt a shudder of foreboding, considering United's record against them at Solitude, lately. By a strange quirk of fate, United must play Chickenville 3 times in the next six games, starting with league cup final at Windsor Park on 24 January, the Irish cup sixth round at Solitude on 7 February and a league match, again at Solitude on 21 February. We have already played them three times this year, two at Solitude and one at home, where we snatched a draw from the jaws of victory.

Maybe Fergie was out to fool Chickenville in case they had someone watching us, but I don't think so, I just think he knows only one way to play the game, all-out attack. It worked yesterday against Crumlin Star, but there were signs that against sterner opposition, United could have been embarrassed to say the least, with their slip-shod, non-tackling approach. They got a fortunate break when ref Evan Boyce decided that Captain Jenks was fouled in the penalty box and pointed to the spot after 4 mins play, in my opinion it was a soft penalty.

In the absence of our designated penalty king, Ally, the job fell to leading scorer Tippers and he duly obliged, sending a crisp shot into the keepers right to give United a fortunate one goal lead. The junior team (hereafter called Star), had already given United a fright, when they waltzed through our defence, but luckily we survived conceding a corner in the process. Immediately after we scored they repeated the process and Marky was easily dispossessed, but the forward hurried his shot and it went harmlessly wide, what a relief.

United were trying to play it out at the back and conditions weren't ideal for football, with the heavy pitch and the wind howling and they were a few anxious moments, but we managed somehow. Cutch, playing behind the two strikers had shot deflected for a corner, but mainly United forwards final ball was leaving a lot to be desired, either hit too hard or misplaced. Star, continued to find inroads into our defence, but we managed to keep our goal intact, due a mixture of luck and bad finishing. Cometh the hour cometh the man, or in this case the half-hour.

There seemed little danger when Jenks found his countryman Cutch, 20 yards from goal, but the diminutive striker beat his man and went past a couple of tackles, before finishing with aplomb blasting ball past the startled keeper and into left corner of the net. It was Cutch's second goal, in his second game, proving that there's life in the old legs still. The snow had started to fall at this point and things looked bleak for the Star. Captain Alan Jenks should have increased United's lead when Tippers played him in, but he could only find the side-netting, a chance gone begging.

United were nearly made to pay for this benevolence in front of goal, when Star ripped through our midfield again and Trainor's crisp shot from 20 plus yards, cannoned off the underside of the bar, with Addis completely beaten. United managed to survive to halftime but it was obvious that changes would have to be made, if we were to go on to win the game and get in the draw for the next round. I consoled myself that at least we would have the wind at our backs in the second period, small comfort I know, but we were halfway there I reasoned.

2nd half
With United attacking their favourite Fisherwick end, Darboy had an early chance but he shot wide when well placed. Ten mins into the half, Jimer was brought on to replace Marky, with Tony moving to Marky's position and Jimer taking moving to rightback. I couldn't figure this change, was Marky injured or was Fergie thinking ahead to our forthcoming games and wanted to try Tony at central defence, the mind boggles. United continued to press and after Cutch failed to trouble the keeper with a shot, Tippers was unlucky not to get his second of the match when the keeper saved at his feet.

Steeky, who like Tippers had signed an extension to his contract just this week, flashed a volley wide as United continued to put the Star defence under pressure. Jimer, returned to full fitness, was soon in the thick of things and it was good to see him back and keen as mustard. United got the 'rub of the green', when JT seemed to upend a Star player in the box but ref Boyce decided it was a fair tackle. Almost immediately at the other end, Steeky was unlucky when he went on the overlap and  his effort just missed the goal, with Darboy failingly to get the final touch with the keeper beaten.

United manager Spike made a telling substitution, taking off Tippers and bringing on our Talisman, Cush, who had been missing exactly nine weeks. A minute later, Cush, out on right, provided a curling cross with his trusty left-foot and Darboy headed United's third goal at the back post. Spike made his final sub with Ally, replacing Thommo. Captain Jenks was unlucky to see his effort at the near post diverted for a corner, but the lino signalled for a goal-kick, much Captain Jenks annoyance. Jenks wasn't to be denied for long and a typical forging run ended with him being brought done at the edge of box by defender Berne. The ref played the advantage rule and Darboy slotted home his second and United's fourth.

The referee, in my opinion, harshly sent Berne off, surely a booking would have done or a stern talking to, he had been punished enough with the goal. Five mins later, Cush was unlucky to see his drive from 25 yards come back off the crossbar, but it would been harsh on Star who had battled well. Then Cutch missed with a free header, when it looked easier to score. The ref seemed to add about a minute or at best two and brought the game to a halt with United winning by 4-0. The first clean sheet since we beat the Mallards at home in November, a disgraceful record which needs to be put right.

That's for another day, we need to bask in this victory, which at no point looked easy, except maybe when we got our third goal. The bonus as far as United is concerned, is to see Jimer and Cush restored to full fitness and pushing for a place in our starting line-up next week at Portadown and the league cup final against Chickenville, suddenly things are beginning to look up, but we need to sort out our midfield. It was okay against Star yesterday, but that will never do against the likes of Portadown, Chickenville and the IFA, but spare a thought for our neighbours, the Coleraine scum, their season looks to be over, hell slap it into them is all I can say, come on Sky Blues!

Addis (7), Tony (7), Steeky (7), JT (7), Marky (6) (Sub: Jimer 7), Thommo (7) (Sub: Ally 7,), Jenks (7), Mack (8), Cutch (7), Tippers (7) ( Sub: Cush 8,), Darboy (8)

Man of the match: Brian Mack (McCaul)