Prawn Crackers!

Blayney (7), Jimer (7), JT (7), Paddy Mac (7)(Sub: Kyley 65mins 6,), Steeky (7), Willie (6), Thommo (6), Tony (8), Cush (6), Jenks (8)(Sub: Darhen 66mins 6,), Matty (6)(Sub: Ruddy 82 mins 6,). Subs: (not used): O Kane, Dwayne.

Man of the match: Tony (Kane)

Referee: Andy Davey 6

Years ago Roy Keane, accused Man Utd fans of being more interested in their Prawn sandwiches, than the football, as there was no atmosphere at old Trafford. Yesterday at the Showgrounds, United fans seemed to be more interested in what they had for lunch (maybe prawn crackers), than the football being played as there was no atmosphere in the first half, it was as if everybody was on tenterhooks, waiting for United to mess up defensively.

Its been well documented that the Sky Blues defence leaks goals, over two goals in every premiership game so far after 20 games. The United defence have leaked 43 goals but on the plus side, they have scored 32, leaving them fifth in the league in the scoring charts. But its defensively where we are falling down and yesterday was no exception. Take yesterday's opponents Warrenpoint, they had only scored 18 goals in 18 games but they managed to score two against United.

It could have more embarrassing for the Sky Blues, but lady luck shone on them at least two times, as the ten men of Warrenpoint gave them a football lesson in the last half of the 2nd half. Our manager Spike, made only one change from his starting line-up of last Saturday, as expected young Matty, got a start in place of the injured Tippers. But surprisingly, he retained Alan Blaney, in goals, despite his two boobs last Saturday against Chickenville. But for a change he named his other keeper Dwayne, as one of his five subs.

Alan, nearly repaid his manager's faith in him, when he nearly presented the Point, with the opening goal, when his clearance ricocheted off Points striker Murray, but luckily it looped over Alan and away from goal. Omar, had just said that Alan's dealing with back-passes had greatly improved, from his first stint at United, when he was a liability. Sammy and me, blamed Omar, for putting the jinx on Alan, but in truth he doesn't need any help in that regard.

Little was seen of United in these early stages, a Cush free-kick, well wide of the mark but a minute after Alan's boob, Cush, managed to get a shot on target with his weaker right-foot, but Parr, in the Point goal was equal to it and saved it easily. There was absolutely no atmosphere in the ground and I was looking for something or somebody to spark the game into life. As luck would have it, it came for an unusual source, a short-corner to United.

Anybody, that reads my column (I hope there's somebody out there), will know I hate short-corners and quick free-kicks, but when United won a corner on the right, they took it short. This time it was different, in the fact that it nearly worked, as Tony took it short to Willie (Faulkner), he in turn found Captain Jimer, who put in a cross but it was headed for another corner, this time on the left. From Tony's in-swinger, JT, headed it goalwards and Moan, Points rightback was adjudged to have handled on the line.

I must say I have my doubts about this decision, but referee Andy Davey, was in no doubt when he produced the red card for Moan and gave a penalty to United. Moan, claimed it was his shoulder that he had hit the ball with and continued to moan (excuse my pun), to all in sundry as he reluctantly made his way off the pitch. United's Alan Jenkins, who had taken over the spot-kick duties, after the Sky Blues had missed three penalties in as many matches took the kick and gave Parr, no chance to give United a 1-0 lead.

The atmosphere changed and the fans started to relax a wee bit, as for once Lady Luck had shone on United, for they usually are the subject of some dodgy decisions on the officials part, but this time it worked for us. United, nearly increased their lead, when Willie, had a shot saved by Parr. Two mins later we thought Cush, had scored with a rare header, only for the ref to rule it out for a a push, which he only had seen, but we allowed him that.

As the Point players got themselves organised, they started to play a bit of football and exerted pressure on United's defence. In one attack, Paddy Mac, was lucky to escape with only a booking, when he used his hand to stop a through ball which he had misjudged. Was it a goal-scoring chance, which should have brought the red card, I thought it was, but the ref merely yellow-carded him, but I thought it was a lucky escape.

In the next United attack, a Point player clearly handled the ball, but the ref played the advantage but when the play ended in stalemate, I thought the ref would book the culprit, but he didn't. The visitors continued to press but United held firm and Blaney, was a steadying hand as he plucked the ball safely out of the air in one attack. Point kept trying to get the goal that would bring them back into the game and United had a wee bit of luck when the ref blew for halftime, when it looked like the Point had won a corner.

2nd half

United came out with renewed vigour in the 2nd half and Tony, found Cush, with a delightful cross-field pass. I must say at this point, I though Cush, looked offside, but there were no protests from the Point players. Cush, unselfishly passed to Jenks, who had the simple task of scoring past the helpless Parr, to give United a two goal advantage. Jenks, completed his hat-trick, his first for United, five mins later when after a delightful pass by Tony again, sent Willie away and Jenks, volleyed his cross into the net to make the score 3-0.


This goal seemed to galvanise the visitors even more and in a delightful bit of play Murray's shot for goal, was parried by Blaney and Jimer, blocked the follow-up shot. United then rung the changes taking off Paddy Mac, whether injured or not I couldn't say and hat-trick hero Jenks, who came off to a standing ovation, but he didn't acknowledge the fans, unprofessional to my mind, but that's a different story. kyley came for Paddy and Jenks, was replaced by the forgotten man in the United ranks, the hero of our victory over Larne, Darhen.

In the Points first attack after these substitutions, Murray, easily beat Kyley and slotted the ball past Blaney to reduce the leeway to 3-1. Five mins later he repeated the dose as Captain Jimer, fed the ball to the marked Matty, who subsequently lost possession and Murray, was found with a neat pass and he held off JT, to fire the ball into the net past Blaney. United looked a disjointed team at this stage, but they managed to mount another attack but it came to nothing.

With 13 mins to go and Ruddy, getting ready to replace someone, United mounted another attack and Darhen, shot from outside the box and Parr, could only parry it (forgive the unintended pun again)and it fell to young Matty. With the goal at his mercy, the young seventeen year-old, shot for goal only to see the ball strike the inside of the left post bounce on the line and hit the inside of the right post, before it was cleared, to leave Matty and the fans dumbstruck.

I don't honestly know how the ball stayed out, maybe we should invent a challenge to see if anybody can repeat the feat, akin to the crossbar challenge. Four minutes later, United tied up the points as from a Tony, in-swinging corner, Cush, had another header parried by Parr (lol) and Kyley, was on hand to to prod the ball into the net. Two mins later, Ruddy came on for young Matty and Darhen, missed a glorious chance when he was through on goal, but he pushed the ball too far and Parr dropped on it.

Then the Points keeper, who had already pushed young Matty, repeated the dose on Ruddy, but the ref took no action and I thought they must have changed the rule and keepers were allowed to push opposing players in the penalty box. Despite a few anxious moments, the United goal survived without being breeched again and they had got the three points, but oh how we were made to suffer. Jenks, took home the match ball, but Tony, who had a hand in all four goals, took the 'man of match' plaudits, long may they continue to shine!