Defensive Blunders!

Dwayne (6), Tony (6), JT (7), Rodger (6), Jimer (7), Barber (7) (Sub: Steeky 39mins 6, Sub: Kyley 53mins 6,), Thommo (8), Jenks (6), Faulkner (6) (Sub: Darboy 86mins 6,), Cush (7), Tippers (7), Subs (not used): Maggers and Ferguson.

Man of the match: Thommo

Referee: Heth (1)


The Sky Blues, not for the first time, were undone by defensive blunders  in yesterday's game at Shamrock Park. What possessed Dwayne to come for a a corner he had no hope of getting and not to be outdone Rodger, messed up when trying to shield the ball for a goal-kick and left Ports forward McAllister, with acres of space inside our penalty area. Alas they weren't the only villains of the piece, Tony Kane and ref Heth, played their parts too.

In the absence of the suspended Ruddy and the unavailable, Matty, our manager promoted the Barber, to play wide right and Faulkner, wide left, therefore releasing Cush, to partner Tippers up front. In a defensive shake-up, Tony dropped back to rightback with Captain Jimer, replacing Ruddy, at leftback and Thommo, started in place of O. Kane alongside, Jenks. with just five mins on the clock the Ports won a corner on the left.

Dwayne, decided to come for this corner, but he was out-muscled by Ports players and Oman headed into the net to give Ports a fortuitous lead, 1-0. In the lead up to this goal, ref Heth, showed his biased nature by booking Rodger for a foul on Gault, which left the Ports player writhing in apparent agony, but it turned to be just bluff, when he got up and he ran off without discomfort, he didn't even limp, he had achieved his objective and got Rodger, booked and Heth fell for it.

United got a lifeline, when Cush, found the Barber and he scored with a left-foot shot to tie the scores at one apiece. Four mins later the United defence was broached again when Rodger, tried to shepherd the ball for a goal-kick, but slipped and McAllister, was able to cross the ball to Ports player Mackle. His initial shot came back off one of his own players, but he made no mistake at the second attempt, driving the ball high into the net, to make the score 2-1 in the Ports favour.

United tried to respond from this setback and Heth, showed his biased nature again, when he failed to book a ports Player, for a deliberate handball 20 yards from goal, which denied the Sky Blues a goalscoring opportunity. The Barber's free-kick, came back off the Ports wall, we must never work on free-kicks in training as we have no ideas, except for a shot at goal, which generally comes to nothing as either it hits the wall or is over the bar, or very occasionally we score.

When United won another free-kick, Tony, got booked for what I don't know, somebody said he tried to take the kick too early, but because of the jaundiced view at Shamrock Park, stuck 30 yards behind the goal, I honestly don't know. Two mins later, Tony accidentally came into contact with Gault's, head and he went down like a ton of bricks. I was amazed when I saw Heth, reach for the yellow card again, which meant Tony, was sent-off.

Two mins later, Gault, got up and there wasn't even a bruise on him never mind, blood, so it had been all a bluff, I admit I wasn't surprised. Our manager Spike, decided to make a change at this point, bringing on Steeky, for the Barber, therefore releasing Captain Jimer, to his more accustomed role at rightback. Thommo, who had been playing well, came into his own when we went down to ten men and his forceful runs upset the home defenders, who looked panicky.

When the 4th official held up the two mins of added time I was concerned, that we wouldn't hold out to halftime, but in fact we reduced the arrears, when Tippers, lying on the ground did enough to get the ball over the goal-line and the Linesman signalled a goal to leave the halftime score 2-2. A minute later, Heth blew his whistle and the talk at halftime was all about about Heth and his biased nature and our penchant for giving away silly goals.

2nd half

This half was mostly played in the other half of the Park, if you get my meaning as the Ports tried to make their numerical advantage pay dividends. Oh lord, that was a mouthful, I hope I've spelt it right. United managed to get occasional forays into the Ports half, but they were foiled by uncompromising tackles from the Ports players and the biased refereeing of Heth, when he pulled United for ghost fouls and astounded us with nearly all of his decisions.

Eight mins into this half, Steeky went down in our penalty, with a serious head injury, not like a Gault of Ports who was bluffing. I don't honestly know if this was a clash of heads, for it happened at the far end of the pitch, but Steeky had to come off to be replaced by Kyley and Jimer went back to leftback and Kyley, filled in at rightback. United, were under the cosh its true to say for long periods but they created one wonderful chance.

Thommo, went on another run at the Ports defence and passed to Cush and his shot was blocked by a Ports player for a corner. United were denied a cast iron penalty when a Ports defender, elbowed the ball right in front of ref Heth, but he took no notice and waved play on. Later on he showed his bias again, when the Ports took a quick free, no yellow card this time, surprise,surprise. The Ports tied up the points, when Twigg and McAllister combined and from the latters flick on, McMahon gave Dwayne, no chance from close range.

Fergie, brought on Darhen for Faulkner, with 4 mins to go, but he had no time to make an impact and we succumbed to yet another defeat, that's six defeats in this the first round of games before the split. We have scored 18 goals in that time, six of them in one game, but its the goals against column that is horrendous and needs to be addressed pronto. Fergie, will argue that we were the brunt of bad decisions by referees, but that's no excuse for bad defending.

With 27 goals against, the worst in the league, surely someone on our coaching staff has to wake up and smell the coffee or we are doomed to fighting relegation battles. With a league cup game against the free scoring Limavady United coming up on Wednesday night, we need to have everybody geared to defending as if their lives depended on it, not in a 'devil may care attitude' that we seemed to have at the minute, we got to get our collective fingers out, COSB!