Five Alive!

The Sky Blues kept their winning streak going against the Ducks, without ever really dominating the game, just doing enough to get the three points. But football is a results orientating business, nice football is entertaining, but it doesn't necessarily keep managers in a job. United manager Spike, made three changes from his starting line-up of last Saturday's victory over Institute. Out went Steeky, Ally and Captain Jenks and they didn't even make the bench.

In came Ruddy, Sparky and Gawley and the bench was made up of , Kyley, Maca and three reserve players, Gardiner, McNeil and Harris, a bold move from Spike I thought. Our own Sammy Patterson, missed his fifth game in a row, some sort of a record I would have thought and BBC red button told us that the last time United had won five games in a row, was back in 2008. No pressure on us then in our last game against Dungannon Swifts next Saturday, a 2pm kick-off.

United started at a whirlwind pace and were undone by a Lino's flag, when Tony and Gawley exchanged passes and the latters cross found its way to Tippers, only to have the Lino raise his flag. I couldn't see that Tippers was offside, but it later turned out that the Lino had flagged for Gawley being offside, which I doubt, but I haven't the benefit of hindsight, or indeed TV action replay and will have to abide by the Lino's decision..

United Captain Jimer, had presumably lost the toss and we were facing the strong breeze in the first-half, attacking our favourite goals at the Fisherwick end. The Lino continues to flag our boys offside and on one occasion Darboy seemed to run from deep, but the Lino flagged anyway. The Ducks came close when a free-kick drifted inches wide of the post and then United should have gone ahead, when Gawley and Tony combined once again and Tony's crossed to Cush.

It was a gem of a cross and Cush chested it down and as we all waited to see the net bulging, he miskicked and the ball went harmlessly wide. Then Sparky found Darboy, but the striker messed up with the ball at his feet, another chance gone begging. Despite having the wind advantage, the Ducks didn't trouble our defenders much, ably led by Captain Jimer. It was United who broke the deadlock on the half-hour mark and was local man Sparky, whose persistence created the opening.

It seemed to be little danger when Sparky chased a seemingly lost cause on the left, but his left-foot cross fell nicely for Gawley, who had time to control the ball and drive it into the net past the despairing dive of Ducks keeper Murphy, to give the Sky Blues a 1-0 lead. The Ducks tried to come back but found the home rearguard in an uncompromising mood. The ref Evan Boyce, had a quiet game and he seemed to be loath to issue any cards as the game unfolded with questionable tackles.

Just before halftime, the Ducks rightback, was allowed space on the Sky Blues right flank and when he crossed to Campbell, Jimer blocked the striker's shot and it went out for a corner. When the corner came over, Campbell's was allowed an overhead kick and it just shaved the post with Tall struggling to get across to make sure it was wide. Cush seemed to be in the wars as he was constantly falling and seemingly wanting the physio on but he and us, survived to halftime.

2nd half
United manager Spike made one change at halftime, with Maca replacing the Barber (Gawley), rumours had it that our Chairman wanted a short back and sides, but he is nearly baldy, so I don't subscribe to that notion. Five mins after the restart, Tony fiound Cush with a wonderful pass and United's talisman drove his cross across the penalty box and Darboy screwed his shot wide with the goal seemingly at his mercy, yet another chance missed.

Mike Ruddy then had a chance, but his looping shot just grazed the post with Murphy beaten. Ducks continued to be dangerous and after United had given the ball away, Ruddy had to block a shot from Noble and JT had to block the rebound. United missed another glorious chance to seal the points, when Tony got to the byline and crossed for Tippers who looked odds on to score but his weak header was parried by Murphy, who gathered the rebound before any home player could react.

That was Tippers last chance to extend his goalscoring record, 19 goals with one match remaining, not bad for an old stager, as he came off to be replaced by sub Gardiner. Gardiner moved to leftback, with Ruddy moving up to left-midfield and Cush going upfront with Darboy. Then United won a free-kick, on the left about 25 yards from goal and in a well worked routine, Cush fed the ball to Tony and his shot ricocheted off a Ducks player and Maca was on hand to steer the ball into the net.

Fergie made his last bold change taking off Ruddy and replacing him with McNeil and I think this had an unsettlingly effect on our defence. The Ducks got a lifeline with with 3 mins to go, when from a free-kick the United defence failed to clear their lines and Beacom fired home to reduce the leeway and leave the score, 2-1 in the Sky Blues favour. Would the home teams benevolence in front of goal come back to haunt them I thought and they were some anxious moments.

But we held out to claim the three points, just about deserved I think, but as usual the Sky Blues had to put us through the wringer. We were all looking for that comprehensive victory and not getting it. The Lino at the end the Sky Blues were defending in the 2nd half, had continued on his merry way, by ignoring blatant offsides by Ducks player, in contrast, to putting his flag up at every opportunity in the first period, but luckily he didn't influence the result, bring on the Swifts!


Tall (7), Tony (7), Ruddy (8) (Sub: McNeil 6,), JT (7), Jimer (8), Gawley (7) (Sub: Maca 7,), Sparky (7), Thommo (7), Cush (7), Tippers (7) (Sub: Gardiner 6,), Darboy (7)

Man of the match: Mike Ruddy