Maca Shines!

We at 'Sport couldn't see any benefit in United manager Spike, signing Eamon McAllister (Maca), in the transfer window. We foolishly  thought he would have his full debut against Glentoran, on Tuesday past, but he didn't and who knows what  if anything could've transpired had he done so. But on his full debut yesterday against 'Stute, Maca provided two inch perfect crosses to United Captain Jenks, who in turn scored one and the other was a glaring miss.

Not only that, he scored United last goal, in a welcome 3-0 win, which goes a long way in securing their safety from the threat of relegation. The United manager Spike, made two changes from his starting line-up of last Tuesday's reversal against the Glens. Out went Paddy Mac, who had limped out of the Glens match, shortly after halftime and top scorer, Tippers, presumably injured, who didn't even make the panel.

In their place was the veteran Cookie and Maca and the subs were, Darboy, Ally, Mack, the Barber and a rare place on the bench, for the exciting prospect that is Matty Shevlin. 'Stute won the toss and decided to play defending the Fisherwick end in the first-half. In the first 15 mins the visitors set out their stall and United playing with Captain Jenks upfront partnering his Scottish friend and colleague, Cutch, were struggling to get into the game.

But luckily the visitors play generally broke down when they got to United's penalty box and despite conceding a couple of corners, the United defence weren't too troubled. As so often happens in football, it was United who got the breakthrough, when Banbridge referee, Basketfield, adjudged that Thommo, was fouled in the box as he attempted to get in a shot. The Stute defenders protested vehemently, but all to no avail and in the absence of regular penalty takers, Ally and Tippers, Cutch was given the task.

Despite the Stute defenders, trying everything to unsettle Gary, he stepped up to the mark and duly slotted his penalty into the net, sending keeper Gallagher the wrong way, to make the score 1-0 in United's favour. A Stute player tried an overhead kick which went past and then after 25 mins Untied increased their lead, with a great bit of football. Tony, found Maca, with a short free-kick and he went bounding down the right-wing and his perfect cross was was easily scored by United Captain Jenks, to make the score 2-0 to United.

If truth be told, United hadn't got out of second gear and we were a little flattered by the scoreline, but we did take our chances. it should have been three 4 mins later as Jimer surged forward and Maca intelligently moved inside of his marker and collected Jimer's perfectly weighted pass and crossed to the unmarked Jenks, who headed over when it was definitely easier to score. Stute nearly made us pay for this benevolence in front of goal, when from a flowing move, Hume's header was brilliantly parried with an outstretched hand, by United keeper, Tall, at the expense of a corner.

When the corner came over, Tall, showed his class by plucking the ball easily out of the air. United wrapped up the points when Tony found space to run through and set up his Captain Jenks, level with the penalty spot. Jenks powerful shot was brilliantly stopped by Gallagher, but Maca lurking at the far post, was on hand to score with a header. Sammy Patterson, thought it ironic that Maca, almost the smallest man on the pitch, scored in his first goal in a United jersey, with his head.

United spurned three or four chances to make the score embarrassing for the north-west club. Firstly, Thommo got a s shot in which Gallagher pushed for a corner and Cush, only a shadow of himself yesterday, took the corner from the right and Cookie missed with a free header. Then from another Cush corner, JT, failed to get a touch with the goal at his mercy. With the halftime whistle immiment  United were denied a cast iron penalty, when Cush eluded his man and his clear run on goal was abruptly ended with a foul, but nothing was given.


2nd half
United came out in the 2nd half with 'what we have, we hold attitude' and invited Stute to come to them, which they duly did. United had a let-off in the first ten mins, when from a corner on the right, they missed with a free header, much as Cookie had done in the first half. From another run up the left-wing the Lino, on the home stand side, was not up with the play and missed a blatant offside, but luckily it didn't come to anything.

Omar, reminded this Lino, that the match had started again and he better waken up, this seemed to have the desired effect and he was okay in the rest of the game. The 'out of form' Cush, was replaced after an hour, with Ally taking his place and it would be a lie to say he was best pleased, as he nearly shouldered Ally on his way off the pitch. Ally started out like an express train and had a great run down the left, which resulted in a corner.

But it was the visitors who came closest to scoring, when the lively Hume, got a yard on his marker but his shot was brilliantly saved by Tall, pushing the ball round the post for a corner. Not much was seen of Maca in this half, but in truth not much was seen of United as an attacking force, they were lying too deep for my liking. With 20 mins to go, Maca was replaced by the Barber, Gawley. Like for like and I was trying to think of the last time United had four wingers in their first team panel, yonks ago I think, if ever.

The Barber was soon in the action and from his corner, JT's, header was stopped by Gallagher, denying the United defender a goal. Spike made his last sub, with Matty Shevlin replacing Cutch, but personally I would have liked to see Cutch and the youngster together, to see if Matty picked up anything, from the great scorer, Cutch. But it wasn't to be, but like the last time Matty came on as a sub, he nearly made an instant impact as he challenged Gallagher to a cross, but the keeper got the better of that exchange.

I can't remember Matty having a good game after that, he seemed to get good positions and promptly lose the ball, but in truth United were content to soak up the Stute pressure and play out the game. We were trying to hold out for the three points and also not to concede anything, our first clean sheet in the league, since we defeated the Ducks back in November, by the same scoreline. The Lino, at the Fisherwick end had indeed 'wakened up' as Omar told him too and he did his part as he flagged for a couple of off-sides, that looked close, but he had made the correct decisions.

With ten mins remaining, Stute made three substitutions all at once and whether that affected the ref's take on the game, as he only added 2 mins to the ninety, is a matter for conjecture. United managed to hold their back-line intact for the remainder of the game and they ran out 3-0 winners, because we took our chances, not that we played particularly well, but it sets us up nicely for the next three games, two in Belfast and one at Dungannon, which will define our season, one way or another, come on Sky Blues!

Tall (8), Jimer (7), Steeky (7), JT (7), Cookie (7), Maca (8) (Sub: Barber 7,), Thommo (7), Tony (7), Cush (6) (Sub: Ally, 7), Jenks (7), Cutch (8) (Sub: Shevlin 6,)

Man of the match: 'Tall' Tim Allen