United Matthews!

Nelson (8), Captain Jimer (8), Ruddy(8), JT (8), Rodger (7) (Sub: Thommo 73mins 6), Faulkner (8), O. Kane (7), Jenkins (6) (Sub: Ferguson 83mins 6), Cushley (7) (Sub: Leroy 90mins 6), Tippers (8), Matty(8). Subs (not used): Darboy, Hanley.

Man of the match:  Captain Jimer

Referee: Heth (Hetherington) 5

The two Matthews, veteran Tippers and the young pretender Matty (Shevlin), were the heroes in this surprising victory at the Oval, against Glentoran. They scored the goals, but the architect of both their goals, was returning captain Jimer, who supplied the telling passes which set up the scores. All in all, United manager Spike, made three changes to his starting line-up, of last Tuesday night's encounter with Moyola.

With Captain Jimer, returning to rightback, Owen Kane slotted in, to midfield, at the expense of another Matthew, the manager son, Matthew Ferguson. Nathan Hanley made way for the fit again Mike Ruddy and young Matty Shevlin replaced, Darhen. United started brightly but after the home teams first attack, they fell behind to Curtis Allen goal. From the initial corner, the United defence failed to stop the second cross coming in and they paid the penalty.

The cross was played over to the near post, was won by a home player and McAlorum headed against the post and it fell to Allen and he side-footed the ball home. Not one of the United defenders had got a touch of the ball, from the moment the corner was initially cleared and they paid the price. But they replied a moment later, when Captain Jimer, broke from his own half and found young Matty on the edge of the area and he outfoxed his marker, rounded the Glens keeper, Hodge and planted the ball in the back of the net.

The crowd were ecstatic and United started to stroke the ball about with confidence and Owen Kane after a great run, released Tippers, who failed to work Hodge,. a chance gone begging. The lino at the Ballymena side of the ground missed a blatant offside, when he seemed to think he was playing the man on, but the United defence survived this scare. They survived another scare, when from a Glens attack, Gareth Rodger, headed the ball out for a corner, despite Dwayne clearly calling, keepers ball.

With half an hour gone, Cush fed young Matty in the centre, he had two defenders to deal with, but he cleverly played in Faulkner, but Willie, delayed his shot and Hodge was able able to smother the ball, a chance lost. Near halftime United managed to get their noses in front, when Captain Jimer initially lost the ball, but he pursued his opponent and won the ball back again, before feeding Tippers on the right and his angled shot nestled in the corner of the net to give United the lead,2-1.

It was Tippers first goal of the season, he was United's leading scorer last season with 20 goals and it was great to see him get off the mark after six league games, many more to come we hope. United were playing with confidence as they piled on the pressure on the home team's slip-shod defending, no doubt remembering last season's 4-0 drubbing at the Oval and determined to make their presence felt this time around.Tippers, missed a glorious chance when he was found in the edge of the box, but he blasted the ball high over the bar.

2nd half
United could have gone further ahead 10 mins into the second-half, when after an initial run by Cush, when he shrugged off his markers, he fed young Matty in the penalty area. Hodge, the Glens keeper, parried Matty's shot and presented him with it once again, but with the goal at his mercy, Matty hurried his shot and missed the target, as he was off-balance. JT had been booked for a foul on Curtis Allen in the 48 minute and Allen, had to come off to be replaced with Scullion, who used to be a scum player.

Despite several tasty tackles by the home players, ref Heth, unsurprisingly failed to flourish the yellow card, that was reserved solely for United players. United spurned another chance to get the insurance goal, when Matty used his pace but instead of cutting in, he fed Faulkner on the edge of the box. Willie, tried to be subtle, but side-footed his effort wide, instead of blasting it as we were urging him to do. United were in control at this stage and Tippers, missed a simple chance when he dispossessed a Glens defender, but he tried to lob Hodge and the keeper saved easily.

Young Matty was screaming for a pass, but Tippers, like the striker he is, decided to go on his own. As United were about to make a substitution, disaster struck for them as Rodger pulled up with an injury and had to subbed, Thommo coming on in his place. This caused a reshuffle in the United back four as Captain Jimer, took Rodger's place and Owen Kane, dropped to rightback. United's benevolence in front of goal almost back to haunt them when Glens player Holland, was claiming a foul when tackled by JT in the area, but for once Heth was unmoved, a lucky let-off.

Three mins later United tied up the points up, when after a neat bit of play by Tippers on the by-line, he fed Willie and he showed how it should be done by beating Hodge from 8 yards. He celebrated his first goal as a Sky Blue, by jumping onto the fence at the back of the goal and ref Heth, applying the letter of the law, booked him for it. Our manager decided to ring the changes, as his son Matty Ferguson replaced Jenks and then at 90 mins, Cush was replaced by Leroy (Millar),. Despite 3 mins of added time, United held out for a famous victory, their first of this season, I only hope they build on it!