Upside Down!

Buckets (5), O Kane (5), Paddy Mac (6), Kyley (6), Steeky (6), Thommo (6), Fergie (5)(Sub: Darhen 67mins 6,), Jenks (5), Mikey (6)(Sub: Leroy 70mins 7,), Cush (6)(Sub: Barber 62mins 6,), Tippers (7). Subs (not used): Hanley and Graham.

Man of the match: Tippers

Referee: Evan Boyce 3


This headline came about as I overhead the comment about a Ducks player (on-loan striker Stephen O'Flynn), saying his head was on upside down, referring to his bald head and full beard. Boy did he make us pay for this joke from someone in the paltry crowd of Sky blue supporters, as he had a hand in the Ducks two first-half goals and generally gave our defenders the run-around.

As expected our manager had to reach deep into his panel to get 11 fit players for this game and young Matty was conspicuous with his absence, not even in the panel. Willie, didn't make the panel either and the man who scored our one league goal since our comeback win at Portadown, Nathan Hanley, was left kicking his heels on the bench.

Goalscorers in United Sky Blue colours (or yellow), are as scarce as hens teeth and we can ill afford to be without one, but our manager knows best. My headline could refer to United's penchant for conceding goals, the worst in our league, 6 more than bottom club Warrenpoint. Now if the goals for and against column were reversed, 59 goals for and 41 against, it would make for better reading.

All summer, Sky Blues supporters were shouting from the rooftops, that United needed to strengthen their defence by signing a defensive King-pin, but our fears went unheeded,. We are paying for that oversight now, big time. Admittedly if referee Evan Boyce, had of done his job, O'Flynn would have been sent-off in the 16 minute as he clearly elbowed United defender Paddy Mac.

Not only did he not book O'Flynn, hereafter called OFF, he didn't even give a free-kick and had to stop play aS the Mallards were threatening to score. But before this incident, he was kind to United when OFF, was scythed down in the box, with a combination of Paddy Mac and Buckets, but incredulously he gave a goal-kick, I thought it was a certain penalty.

But two wrongs don't make a right and the ref was at fault for not doing his job in the first place and the Sky Blue players were at fault for not doing what they are paid to do, defending. Fergie, in an interview in the BT, said he implored his players to start brightly and putting the Ducks defence under pressure.

Why then, as United clearly won the toss, did his Captain for the day, Jenks, let the Ducks dictate the choice of ends, surely we would want to upset their rhythm, as they like to defend the turnstile end in the first half, I can only assume that he was obeying orders, or is it a matter of choice for the Captain, is it not discussed beforehand?

Knowing the professionalism at United, I wouldn't be surprised if the latter was the case, there's too much left to chance. United had to make two changes in their back-four, with Owen Kane, replacing Tony and Kyley, replacing Captain Jimer. Mikey Smith, got a start in left-midfield, in place of Hanley and Tippers, came back TO lead the line.

The Ducks started brightly and tore into United as if they meant to get the match over quickly. At first the United defenders were on top of OFF and Kyley, was pulled up for a foul, when he went over the top on Ducks, player Sproule, who in turn was lucky to escape a booking when going in late on Buckets later in the half.

But the top strikers find a way to hurt you and OFF started to play deeper and get more room to exploit the United defence. He should have won a penalty with 14 mins gone when, he was fouled by a combination of Paddy Mac and Buckets. Buckets, was late in arriving. but the ref gave our defenders the benefit of the doubt, but I don't think there was any doubt.

The ref compounded his mistake, two mins later when OFF, still seething with rage that his penalty appeal was turned down, exacted some revenge on Paddy Mac, with an elbow to the face, but the ref never faltered and only pulled play up when Paddy was down holding his face. OFF, was even more livid with the ref for stopping play and berated the official, who let him off scot free.

The Ducks continued to batter the beleaguered United defence and Owen, was beaten for pace when fullback Elliot, went flying past him leaving him in his wake, luckily United cleared this danger. But a goal had to come and with half an hour gone the home side took a deserved lead when Sproule beat Steeky and from his cross McKenna slotted home.

Cush, was injured when he tried to prevent this score and had to receive treatment from our Physio. Not much was seen of our attack as Cush, playing on the right was virtually starved of the ball. We tended to play down the left, with Steeky and Mikey, but they failed to get a cross in and generally lost the ball, what a waste.

From a Ducks corner, OFF, was unlucky to see Tippers on the line to clear the ball as Buckets, was beaten all ends up. The United defence were under pressure and Mikey, was lucky to stay on the field, when he went with studs showing on OFF, he only received a booking. From the restaurant free-kick, taken by OFF, the ball skimmed off Thommo's head and into the back of the net.

I think this was an own goal by Thommo, for Buckets, seemed to have the original shot covered, but OFF, was credited with it and who am I to argue with the officials. Just before the halftime whistle, OFF, tried another shot but seemed to injure himself in the process and didn't come out for the second-half, but the damage was done already.

2nd half
United came out for the second half like a whirlwind and got a goal back in the first minute. They gave the ball away straight from the centre, as is their wont, but from a throw-in taken by Steeky to Thommo, Steeky then fed Mikey, up the left-wing. Mikey, took his fullback on and got in a cross and Tippers was on hand to beat Ducks keeper Rouse, with a near post header.

Could United make a comeback, I foolishly thought, but they soon returned to the norm. The home side soon restored their two goal advantage, when Sproule crossed again and Paddy could only direct his attempted clearance into his own net. I could see the United players heads go down at this reverse and disaster struck again, when Cush, cushioned a ball with his chest and had to receive treatment once again.

The home team showed their unsportsmanlike side, by throwing the ball for a goal-kick instead of throwing it to the United keeper, its all in the breeding as Omar, would say. A minute or so later Cush, tried a shot from 30 yards which Rouse saved easily, but like OFF, before him, he seemed to stretch his groin and had to come off to be replaced by the Barber.

with Cush's departure went United's forlorn hope of getting anything from the game and this was emphasised just a min later, when Kyley, was adjudged to have brought McCartney down. i thought this penalty was harsh, not as clear cut as the one not given but McCartney dusted himself down and slotted home the penalty despite the despairing dive as Buckets, threw himself to his left.

With the match two thirds of the way over Spike, decided to ring the changes taking off his son to be replaced with Darhen and a few mins later Mikey made way for Leroy. Two mins later, when chasing a Ducks player Leroy, lost his footing only to be chastised with the veteran Tippers and told to not to fall again.

The young man took this piece of advice in his stride and carried on and in the end got his reward, his first senior goal. But that goal came in added time, too late to have any bearing on the result of the game, but a goal is a goal and credit to Leroy, for sticking to his guns and not getting frustrated. Thommo, had a chance to reduce United's leeway with 15 mins left, but his shot cleared the crossbar, much to the relief of Ducks keeper Rouse.

The Mallards should have dented the Sky Blues defensive frailties even further, as they missed several good chance to score, one of them when Buckets, presented them with the ball with a botched clearance, but McCartney drove his shot wide with Buckets stranded. As I say United did fashion a goal after the 90 mins were up and it was a personal triumph for Leroy, as he latched on to a through ball from Thommo, to score his first senior goal.

The Sky Blues were left to rue what might have been, if one or two decisions had gone their way and they had taken their managers advice to go at them from the start. Results elsewhere, mean they haven't lost any ground in their pursuit of the fabled top six place, but they have to start to win games or indeed not lose, bring on the Coleraine scum!