Damp Squib!

United's faint hopes for a top six finish fizzled out like a damp squib at Solitude yesterday, as the home team triumphed by 1-0 scoreline. On the balance of play they just about deserved the win and all United could muster was one shot on target. Spike's selection leaves me dumbfounded. He persisted with playing his Captain Jenks upfront, it worked at home to 'Stute, but Chickenville is another matter altogether.

As I said Spike's selection leaves me baffled, I fully understand his thinking of omitting Steeky, who has to serve a one game suspension next week and giving Ruddy, his replacement, some game time. But why did he persist with Maca, who is cup-tied next week, instead of starting Gawley, who looks a shadow of himself and needs some game time. I had hoped that Cush's lack of form, was to do with his knee injury, but alas it looks as if I was wrong.

He struggled yesterday to make an impact and like last weeks game, he was replaced by Ally, with less than a third of the game to go. There was also another worrying  matter of Spike, omitted top scorer Tippers, who hasn't played for 12 days and despite Glenn's denials, I wouldn't be surprised if there had been a falling out. I know Darboy isn't one of Spike's favourites, but bringing him on with 7 mins to go, beggars belief.

On yesterday's display, Cutch looks like a man on his last legs, the pace of the game was too much for him and the 'magic' has gone. Our manager made two changes to his starting line-up, with Paddy Mac, replacing Cookie and Ruddy filling in for Steeky. For a change United won the toss and Captain Jenks decreed that we should play defending the City end in the first half, as I've noticed the home team prefers to attack the away end in the first half.

I assume we won the toss, but it could be that the home team wanted to kick-off, or they wanted to change things, as they haven't won a home league game for two months. This was the seventh meeting between the two clubs this season, five of them at Solitude, one at a supposed neutral ground, Windsor Park, where United have only won once in the last number of years and a solitary game at United's home ground.

As we succumbed to defeat yesterday, without almost a whimper, it has to be said, I got the impression that our minds were on other things. No doubt next weeks cup match against the Welders is vital, bit if we should lose that game and nothing is certain in cup football, United's season could be well and truly over, with only one home game to come against the Crues, where we could have a bearing on who wins the league.

The other three home matches in the bottom six, are against, Dungannon,  'Point and the Ducks, there's not much to get excited about, unless of course we are drawn into the relegation battle and we need another three points to be clear of that. United struggled to get anything going yesterday, but they matched the home team quite well, but some of referee Boyce's decisions were baffling to say the least. Was he perhaps influenced with FIFA vice-president, Jimmy Boyce (no relation I hope), proximity to the play alongside the home team's dugout.

I foolishly thought that only coaching staff and players were allowed at or near the dugouts, but maybe vice-presidents of FIFA are the exception. Thommo, playing in midfield alongside Tony, got yellow-carded for an accidental high foot as he went to clear the ball (but he was harshly sent-off for much the same offence in the Irish cup final), but moments later Evan, let the home team away with a similar offence, biased or what. But he wasn't responsible for our defeat and for a change, our defence weren't to blame either.

Maca had a great run out on the left, came infield  and bleanged the ball over the bar, instead of working the keeper. At the other end, Tall made a save from a shot by Scannell. Then it was United's turn Thommo's shot seemed to take a deflection and just missed the target, but Boyce gave a goal-kick. Captain Jenks, thought he had won a corner moments later, but ref Boyce gave another goal-kick, maybe he was 'keeping in' with the vice-president.

Cush, as I said earlier, was struggling and Jimer found him with a pass down the right, but he lost possession, definitely not Cushlike. For a change, Maca was taking all our corners, but in my opinion they weren't as good as Tony's. JT got on the end of a Tony free-kick, but he headed straight at the keeper, a chance lost. Near the halftime whistle, Jay D, looking off-side, was allowed to shoot at Tall, but he pulled off an excellent save down by his his right post and deep in injury time he saved from Murray.

2nd half

United had their best spell in the game at the start of then second-half, but Thommo's shot was well saved at the expense of a corner. From this corner, the Red Cherry, fumbled the ball and Maca and Jenks had shots blocked, At the other end Jay D, shot just over the bar, with Tall unsighted. Then Cush missed a golden opportunity, when Jenks put him through on goal, but he scuffed his shot and another chance was gone.

Moments later Fergie, took off the struggling Cush, with Ally taking his place and I think with him went our best chance of getting something out of the game. Admittedly Cush was not playing well, but Jenks, Cutch and Maca were not setting the world alight with their play, but they stayed on. As if to prove my point Jenks missed a sitter, when Thommo found him with a great pass and with the goal at his mercy, he could only shoot wide.

A minute later the home team administered the killer blow, when after JT had blocked Gormley's shot for a corner, the United markers went asleep, as Winchester, ran from the halfway line to collect a short-corner and took a touch on the ball and rifled it into the net, despite Tall's efforts, who seemed to have it covered. Looking at in replay, Tall should maybe should have had it, but where was the marking? Surely our two attackers, Maca and Cutch, had to track back as Winchester made his run and Jimer seemed to be the only player switched on and he tried to close him down.

There is a lot of failings in our tactics, we never mark the thrower at throw-ins, we seem to have no idea about taking throw-ins, its just throw it and hope somebody gets to it.  When defending corners there has to be somebody to cover, just that eventuality, somebody taking a run from deep, but we were caught sleeping. Eight mins later with the game slipping away, Fergie acted and made his final two subs, with the out of form Gawley replacing Maca and Darboy replacing Cutch.

No place for out of favour Tippers, when you're chasing the game, I thought we should want our top striker on the field, but Fergie thought different. We had won a corner on the left and instead of Tony taking it, Gawley took it and didn't get it past the first man, what a waste. Darboy failed to make an impact too and apart from his sub appearance in last seasons Irish cup game at Tillysburn, I don't think he's an impact sub, but he delivered the goods on that occasion.

The ref saw fit to add on four mins, despite the home teams blatant time wasting, holding on to the ball and kicking it away and generally making a nuisance of themselves, but the ref let them away with it. I'm a firm believer in the yellow card, the ref only has to book one player for time-wasting and it nips in the bud, but Evan was obviously not going to invite the vice-presidents wrath and he can be mighty vindictive I can tell you.

When the 4th official held up the board, to say four mins I took a note of the time on my watch and by my reckoning it was 16-51 or 9 minutes to five, but when Evan blew his whistle it was 16-54 or 6 mins to five. I know I'm clutching at straws here, but usually you get at least the allotted time and probably a bit more, but Evan took the easy way out. We were never going to mount a come back, I think our manager, despite his insistence in going for a win, had settled for a draw and when his plans had become unstuck, he was struggling for inspiration and he didn't get any!

Tall (7), Jimer (7), Ruddy (7), JT (7), Paddy Mac (7), Maca (6) (Sub: Gawley 5,), Tony (6), Thommo (8), Cush (5) (Sub: Ally 5,), Cutch (5) (Sub: Darboy 5,), Jenks (5)

Man of the match: Thommo