Better Never!

 Dwayne (7), Jimer (7), Kyley (7), Rodger (7), Ruddy (7) (Sub: Maggers 80mins 7,), Faulkner (Thommo 64mins, 7), Tony (6), Gavin (6), Leroy (5) (Sub: Matty 46mins 5,), Jenks (6), Cush (7)

Man of the match: Mike Ruddy

Referee: John Deignan 3

There's an old saying, 'better late than never' and I consoled myself with this thought when I was running late yesterday and I didn't reach my seat until halfway through the first-half. Well I say, 'my seat', but like most United fans I don't have a seat reserved solely for me, but when I'm early, I always sit on the same seat, but yesterday it was taken and Sammy kindly moved up a seat to accommodate me. But given the result, 1-0 loss to the Glens, it was a case of 'better never than late'.

I have not been on the forum of late and I didn't know our manager was missing last week, through illness, so I blamed him in the wrong for making a hash of our substitutions, it was in fact his assistants who got them wrong. But he was back in charge yesterday and he chose to go without a recognised wide player and made only two changes from the side that snatched a draw from the jaws of victory last Saturday. He brought loanee, Gareth Rodger in for JT and Leroy (Millar), in for the Barber.

I completely missed the Cush effort in the first-half that hit the crossbar and Jenks, getting a shot on target this time, not like last week, but its better not to dwell on that sorry incident, it will only start Omar, moaning again. Leroy had a shot blocked and Rodger appeared from nowhere but couldn't find the target with his right-foot. The ref  John Deignan, seemed reluctant to get his cards out and he already talked to McAloreum and Garret of the visitors.

Not so United players, when Leroy and Caldwell, came together and the Glentoran love-child, made a meal out of the tackle, he flourished the yellow card immediately, with Caldwell crying like a stuck pig. Caldwell, was surprisingly able to continue and was on hand to put the Glens into the lead, from an incisive pass from O'Halloran, when United's right flank didn't get a tackle in. Tony was obviously annoyed at this turn of events and in the 4th minute of added time, he in turn lunged at Caldwell and became the second United player to be booked.

2nd half
Not surprisingly, Leroy was subbed at halftime, with young Matty taking his place and the youngster missed an early chance when he sprinted clear of the Glens defence. But he shot hurriedly and the ball went harmlessly across the box and out for a goal-kick. We didn't know it then, but that effort was to sum up young Matty's afternoon. United despite exerting loads of pressure on the Glens defence, couldn't get a telling cross in, not beating the first defender, a waste of time and effort.

Gareth Rodger, became the third United player to be booked and the referee booked Garret, of Glens soon after, for not retreating at a free-kick. When Gavin was dispossessed going forward, his impetus resulted in a clash of heads with McAloreum, but no foul was given and play stopped until they both received treatment and the ref flourished the yellow card to Gavin, but no free-kick to the Glens, I  admit I was baffled. Five mins later McAloreum, finally was booked, but that should have been his second yellow, not his first.

Thommo, had come on for Faulkner and we started to get inroads in the Glens rear-guard. Cush, tried a shot from distance, but Morris, in the Glens goal, parried the shot and recovered the ball before Matty, could get to it. Then from a spell of United pressure Matty, was tripped in the box, but the ref was unmoved and didn't give the penalty. Matty, then missed a sitter when Tony, delivered a gem of a cross, but the young man steered his free header over the bar, with the goal at his mercy.

When Gavin, found space about 30 yards from goal, he tried a snap shot, but it thundered off the crossbar, with Morris, beaten all ends up. Sammy, muttered it was not to be our day and he was proved correct. The ref showed his biased nature, when after McAloreum, had taken the legs from young Matty, he merely talked to him again, instead of flourishing the second yellow card. Moments later, Gavin, took advantage of the refs benevolence and committed a late challenge himself and the ref didn't even bat an eyelid.

The Glens were wasting time at every opportunity and I thought foolishly the ref would add on extra time because of this, some chance. With ten mins to go Spike, took off Ruddy and brought on Maggers. The Lino at the home stand side, the Fisherwick end, gave a goal-kick, when everybody on our side of the ground could see a Glens player heading it past. Matty, then missed another chance when he shot wide and United were denied another penalty when Matty, was impeded in the box, but it seems Rugby tackles are allowed by these officials.

The ref added on 4 mins of added time, there were two mins of injury time at least, never mind the 6 subs being used and he played 3 mins and 40 seconds before sounding his whistle. Sammy, was so incensed with the Lino and he went down to question the officials parentage and forgot he had left his Ballymena United history book, under his seat and had to go up again to retrieve it. That's how much involvement fans of United get in the match, long may it continue, if only the players showed this sort of passion, I think we'd be further up the table, or maybe not, its hard to say!