Justice Done!

 Dwayne (8), Captain Jimer (7), Ruddy (6), JT (6), Rodger (7), Faulkner (6) (Sub: Magennis 62mins 6), Jenks (6), O.Kane (6), Cush (7), Tippers (5) (Sub: Darhen 71mins 6), Matty (6) (Sub: Thommo 77mins 6).

Man of the match: Dwayne Nelson

Referee: 5

My headline today has nothing to do with United getting a deserved point, its to do with the Ducks, wasting time at every opportunity. I think it was poetic justice, when from a corner, on-loan signing Gareth Rodger, swept the ball home from close range and made sure of a point for United. In an ironic twist of fate they could have stolen all three points, from a twice taken free-kick, but it would have been like rubbing salt in the wound.

That United were still in the game owes much to the goalkeeping of Dwayne, when he pulled off some saves, but he could do very little about the Ducks goal as his defenders dallied and dithered and allowed Ducks player McCrudden a free shot, which he buried in the goal. In a last ditch attempt to get something from the match, Dwayne came up for a corner deep in added time and his presence seemed to upset the Ducks defenders and Rodger was on hand to blast the ball into the net, to give United an unlikely point.

Young Matty, fresh from his trial at Crystal Palace, seemed a shadow of himself and he was well marshalled by the Ducks defenders. Tippers, who scored a hat-trick of penalties last week, was a virtual passenger and should have been substituted long before he was. Mark Magennis, made his long awaited debut from the bench after an hour, but he seemed unfit and will need a couple of games to get used to the pace, week-in and week-out.

The whole United team, the one exception being Dwayne, were like a side lacking form as they struggled to get a foothold in the game. I feel I must say a word about Willie Faulkner here, I honestly don't know what he brings to the team. Take yesterday's game for example, he wasted two free-kicks trying to play clever balls to Owen Kane, who promptly lost possession leaving our two central defenders stranded in the opposition penalty area, luckily the Ducks couldn't take advantage, but it was a close run thing.

He hit crosses too hard or simply lost possession, when well placed and it no surprise to me when Glenn, took him off. But to bring on Magennis, who is a central-midfielder, was foolhardy in the extreme, when the situation called for a Neil Gawley, who wasn't on the bench, or even a Tony Kane, who was to get to the byline and get crosses in. But we continued to probe down the middle and inevitably come up against the rock hard Ducks defence.

The Ducks were the better team in the first -half, as we were caught in possession too many times, but the match sprung to life after 34 mins, when United's Mike Ruddy was adjudged to have went in over the top, a mistimed tackle, on Ducks player McCabe, who lashed out with his foot in retaliation at Ruddy's head, a despicable act which should draw a heavy suspension when the IFA disciplinary committee meet. The ref, Evan Boyce, sent both players off and Ruddy could be seen running down the tunnel, no doubt to confront McCabe.

Before the game could restart, a Ducks sub, was yellow-carded, for allegedly gesturing to the United crowd. I admit I was alarmed to see, the Ducks supporters in a section of our stand, for I firmly believe that is an unsavoury incident waiting to happen, but luckily we got away with it this time. United went 3 at the back in the absence of Ruddy and the game continued to halftime without any score.

But not without incident as young Matty chased a through ball only to flagged offside and Ducks keeper Alvin Rouse, came out with his feet up to grab the ball and pole-axed young Matty in the process. I wondered what the ref would do about this incident as the game was already stopped for the offside, but he took no action and young Matty was okay after treatment. There was much to talk about at halftime, this incident and the sending-offs. Was the ref correct in showing both players red cards, in bygone days only the retaliater got sent-off, but these are enlightened times.


2nd half
United continued to serve up the same unattractive football, but Cush managed to get a shot in, although it was easily dealt with by Rouse. Then disaster struck United when JT went on a run and lost the ball and the Ducks managed to keep possession and McCrudden got a bit of space to beat Dwayne with a crisp shot to give his team the lead,1-0. United almost got back on terms, but Young Matty's header from a Cush cross was tipped over the bar by Rouse.

Tippers then had a chance, but his shot from a tight angle seemed to be tipped over by Rouse, but the ref and Lino gave a goal-kick. Tippers was subbed soon afterwards, with Darhen coming on, like for like and 6 mins later young Matty went off to be replaced by Thommo. A Cush shot hit the bar, with Rouse beaten and from a corner, the ref blew up for a foul on the keeper, who miked it and wasted time in the process.

After that Rouse hobbled about and called for a defender to take the goal-kicks, wasting a bit more time, but ref took no action. Cush, had us on our feet, when Rouse made a marvellous save at the expense of a corner, from a thunderbolt hit by United's talisman which looked to be going in the top corner, before Rouse's intervention. So to stoppage time and the Ducks continued to waste it making the 4 mins added on into 6 mins actually.

The Sky Blues won a corner and Dwayne trotted up and  Cush took it and it fell to Rodger at the far post and he blasted the ball into the net to draw United level. It was a point we scarcely deserved, but that's football as they say. We nearly snatched the three points, as we won a free-kick and someone handled in the wall and the second time it was taken we couldn't find the target and the match ended all square. Next up for United is a County Antrim Shield first round game against Glebe Rangers, I only hope we are up for this game and we don't need extra-time or penalties to decide it, COSB!