Three Amigos!

 Dwayne (8), T Kane (8), JT (7), Jimer (7), Ruddy (7), Jenks (5), O. Kane (8) (Sub: Thommo 89mins 7), Faulkner (5), Cush (7), Tippers (7) (Sub: Gawley 79 mins 7), Matty (7). Subs (not used): Kyley, Maggers and Darboy.

Man of the match:  Tony Kane

Referee: Arnie Hunter 4

United owe this victory (their first ever at Warrenpoint), to three players, two Kanes and Dwayne, its been hard to separate them for my man of the match, but I think the fact that Tony was 'out of favour' for a few games (will we ever know the real reason?), he just shades it, but it was a close run thing. Tony had two assists in the game, as first he took a pass from Matty and found Tippers lurking in the six-yard box and then he rolled the ball to Cush, from a free kick, as only he knows how.

When United scored just after halftime, through Cush's free kick, I foolishly thought we would go on to win at a canter, but Sammy, said its not over yet and so it proved. As expected Glenn, picked the nucleus of the side that side that had snatched a draw at home to the Ducks. The only change was Tony Kane, for Rodger, whether through injury or other reasons, I honestly don't know. Jimer, moved to sweeper and Tony filled in at rightback.

There wasn't much to choose between the sides in the opening 15 mins, JT, was alert to a Point attack and made a superb tackle and from Mike Ruddy's pass, Cush volleyed wide, he had time to steady himself and pick his spot, but that's not Cush-like. A few moments later Tippers had the first real chance when Cush pass was headed clear only to Tippers, but he couldn't find the target with his shot and failed to work former United keeper, Shan, in the Point goal.

Then it was Tony's turn, with the best passing sequence in the match so far, but his left-foot shot (I didn't know he was two-footed), was just over Shan's bar, a chance gone missing. Jenks was booked by ref Hunter for a studs up tackle, but the home side got away with several questionable tackles throughout the game. Little was seen of United's young star, Matty, but after 34 mins he found Tony on the edge of the penalty area and he in turn found the unmarked Tippers in the six-yard box and Tippers made no mistake to give United a one goal lead despite the attentions of Shan.

Tony nearly doubled United's advantage, when he intercepted a pass and thumped a left-foot shot that had Shan at full stretch, but missed the target by inches. With the 45 mins almost up, Matty's was backing up for a high pass which he headed, only for Barmy Arnie, to book him as his arms came in contact with a Point defender, which in all fairness Matty, was oblivious to, as he had his eye on the ball. A minute later, in added time, a Point player pole-axed JT, with an outstretched arm, but no yellow card this time from Barmy Arnie, surprise, surprise!


2n half
United seemed to have put the result beyond doubt, two mins after the restart, when Owen Kane went on a surging run, only to be fouled, when he was about to pull the trigger, by defender, Moan, who was rightly booked. From the resultant free-kick, it was plain to see, a member of the Point wall, was not ten yards and but Barmy Arnie, took no action, even when they all broke, when Tony pretended to roll the ball. When Tony did roll the ball to Cush, his left-foot shot went into the net of Shan's left-hand post to leave him helpless and put United 2-0 up.

Surely United would go on and win handsomely I foolishly thought, but they like to put us through the wringer and yesterday proved to be no exception. The Point, seemed devoid of ideas, but they continued to press and started to make inroads into our defence. From a neat bit of play, McVeigh's hopeful cross from the left, was dropped by Dwayne, who redeemed himself by parrying D. Hughes shot, but the rebound fell to the Stephen Hughes and he made no mistake at the second attempt to make the score, 2-1 in United's favour.

Dwayne, has to shoulder the initial blame for dropping the ball, but where were our defenders, when he parried the shot and despite having four or five defenders in the box, we couldn't clear the ball. On 69 mins JT, scooped the ball over the bar, when a Cush corner fell to him in the six-yard box. When JT, messed up in defence, letting sub McCabe through, Dwayne came to our and JT's rescue, by blocking the subs shot with his legs'

Barmy Arnie, denied United a cast iron penalty, when a Point defender handled a Matty cross and the ref only five yards away waved play on. Dwayne came to our rescue once again when he dived on the ball to prevent a Point striker getting a touch. With 11 mins to go Spike, took off the tiring Tippers and brought on the Barber and United were denied another cast iron penalty, when defender Moan, took the legs from Young Matty, as the young striker was bearing down on goal.

From another forceful run by Owen Kane, with 2 mins to go, he went down injured and had to to be replaced with Thommo. As we approached added time, Arnie finally acted and sent Moan off, after he had fouled young Matty, right where we were standing and Omar pointed to the dressing room, knowing that it was a second yellow card for the Point defender and fully justified, despite the players  protests.

United duly played out the remainder of the game against the ten men and they had triumphed at the Point ground for the first time after four attempts. In the process they had preserved their unbeaten record and now they are unbeaten in seven games, but there's sterner tests to come next month, starting with the home match against the  champions, next Saturday, but lets worry about that game when it comes, onwards and upwards, come on Sky Blues!