Sows Ears!

Buckets (8), Jimer (7), Paddy Mac (5)(Sub: Nixon 64mins 6,), Rodger (6), Steeky (7), T Kane (6), Thommo (5)(Sub: Taggart 75 mins 6,), O Kane (5), Cush (7), Jenks (5), Darhen (6)(Sub: Matty 75mins 6,). Subs: (not used): Ferguson, Hanley.

Man of the match: Buckets Blaney

Referee: Ross Dunlop 2

The Sky Blues let themselves and they're loyal supporters down, with this pathetic display at the Coleraine scum's ground. They were beaten to every loose ball and given a football lesson by their greatest rivals and we fans had to sit through it all,it was pure torture. Not even a scorcher of a goal from Cush, could lift the gloom and the 2-1 scoreline flattered United, it should been much more.

Referee Ross Dunlop, who had been showing signs of being a fair referee, blotted his copybook yesterday when he denied United a cast iron penalty, when scum player Harkin, scythed down Steeky, in the box. Admittedly United didn't deserve a lifeline, but 'rules is rules' as they say and in an ironic twist of fate, Harkin supplied the cross from which the scum scored their winner.

Spike, made three chances to his team line-out of last Saturday, with Rodger, coming in for the suspended JT, Steeky, for the injured Ruddy and Darhen, getting a rare start, in place of young Matty. That meant Jenks, playing upfront and its not working, as he was a virtual passenger, a bit like last Saturday against Linfield, we are crying out for a striker and least two central defenders.

I have no doubt when the transfer window opens on Friday, Spike will bring in some new players, but I'll be surprised if they any better than the ones we have at present, which are mediocre at best. The one bright spark, among all the other dullards is Cush and we are losing him at the end of the season. He lit up the scum ground when he scored a scorcher of a goal with a half-volley, but I still think he has to go.

He's only allowing Spike, to paper over the cracks, we could get two players who want to play for the club if we can unload Cush, for the rest of his contract. We have a battle on our hands to avoid being pulled into a relegation/play-off scenario, as we have the second worst defence in the entire league and we need midfielders as well as defenders and a striker wouldn't go amiss too.

Now to the match itself, for the second game in a row United won the toss and chose to attack the town end in the first-half, I think like last Saturday decision to attack the Fisherwick end at the Showgrounds, this was a mistake as the home team always like to attack this end in the second-half and we played into their hands, but what do I know?

The pitch was not in good condition, but it never is so no excuse there for United's slip-shod performance, the players are just not good enough. They played to the best of their ability, but its only bottom of the league form and this is where we will stay in the foreseeable future, unless Fergie, gets his act together and does a bit of coaching to bring his players up to standard.

But there's an old saying 'that you cannot make a silk purse out of a sows ear' and I'm afraid that too many of our players come into the 'sow ears' category. Coleraine, were down in the dumps last season, but they picked themselves up and are streets ahead of United at this point in time, so it can be done, but our manager needs to weed out the bad apples and he's got plenty of them.

The home team took the game to United and the United defence was put under pressure from the start and scum's leading scorer McLaughlin, headed over when well placed. How he managed to get this space in a crowded penalty area, beggars belief, but he did. United had another let-off when McGonigle collected a pass from McLaughlin and was allowed to cross, but for once Buckets, came off his line to save.

The home team took the lead after 18 mins, when McGonigle, beat the offside trap (or did he), took it round Buckets and shot into the net. TV highlights are inconclusive but I thought he was offside, but the Lino though different and the goal stood. At this stage the home team threatened to run riot, but United's luck held and they weathered the storm.

Darhen, missed a glorious chance to level the scores when he got on the end of a cross by Captain Jimer, but scum keeper Doherty, managed to save with his legs. But United got a lifeline, when a Tony Kane, cross was headed clear and Cush, chested it and struck a sweet right-foot shot, which nestled in the Coleraine net with Doherty getting his finger tips to it but only helping into the net.

Approaching halftime, McGonigle was allowed space, but luckily he headed over the bar and the United defence breathed a sigh of relief. The ref added one minute to the proceedings and I thought surely Spike would have to change things at halftime, but he thought otherwise and he's the manager. The talk at halftime was all about Cush and his cheeky photo in a Crues Jersey last week, gormless or what?

2nd half
The scum nearly took the lead 2 mins after the break but Buckets, got a hand to s drive by that man McGonigle, to tip his effort over the bar. Steeky, had a run into the penalty area, but he blasted the ball high and wide, what a waste. The scum stepped up their efforts to seal the points, but bad finishing let them down and United breathed another sigh of relief.

Ten mins into the second period, Steeky, took up the gauntlet once again, but this time he didn't shoot and went by his man Harkin, only to be scythed down. But ref Dunlop was unmoved, a travesty of justice if I ever saw one. Six mins later, the United defence stood back and allowed Harkin to cross to the unmarked Brown, who headed the ball down for McGonigle to find the and make the score 2-1 to the home side.

Three mins later, Paddy Mac, was injured and was replaced by youngster Stewart Nixon and this meant a reshuffle for United as Jimer moved to central defence and Owen Kane to rightback. The Coleraine keeper Doherty, was booked for a challenge, when he came out of his area and fouled Jenks, but Tony's free-kick came off the defensive wall.

From this rebound, the home team set up a counter attack and McLaughlin dragged his shot wide past the spread-eagled Buckets, yet another let-off for United. Many of the visiting supporters, me included, thought Doherty in the home goal, should already been booked for time wasting, but ref Dunlop thought otherwise and this malaise, that has no place in our beautiful game, goes on.

Spike took off Darhen and Thommo and brought on Gavin and young Matty, but they made no appreciable difference as far as I could see. The youngster, Nixon, made a few intelligent runs up the wing, but they came to nothing and despite loads of pressure United couldn't fashion one clear-cut chance. Nixon, seemed to be fouled when on a run, but ref Dunlop, not for the first time was unmoved.

Buckets came to our rescue once again, with a smart save from Higgins. The ref added insult to injury by only adding on 4 mins at the end of the 90, but United were a beaten team and despite winning a free-kick deep in injury time they couldn't pressurise the home defence. The last real chance fell to Cush, but his drive came off the post and the ref astonishingly gave a goal-kick and the chance was gone.

But in truth it would been an injustice if United had got something from the game, but at the end of the day its goals that count and we have dominated games in the past and come away with nothing, but we're crying for a reliable goal-scorer and we haven't had one of them since Cutch left to join Crues, a well trod route for ex-United players, maybe we're a nursery club for the Crues, lol, bring on the Ports!