First Blood!

Big Tommy Wright will be hoping to draw first blood when United make the trip to Shamrock Park tomorrow for our first game in the C.I.S. cup. A result tomorrow is of vital importance, if United are to have any chance of progressing to the knock-out stages of the competition. A one nil defeat is not a result, it's a setback and it'd be a setback we could ill afford. United go into the game minus, Tim McCann, Fitzy and Jamie Marks, all injured, while team captain Gary Smyth and new signing Paul McDowell, are both serving suspensions. The United captain should be available for selection for United's next game at home to Newry, while McDowell must wait until his former team, Glentoran seconds, complete two competitive games. Portadown are rumoured to be 'sweating' on midfielder Mickey Collins, who is nursing an injury, but we've heard all these stories before and will only believe it when we see it. Can United come away with a victory, we ask ourselves? Portadown did start off slow last season, but with Vinny Arkins and Gary Hamilton reaffirming their allegiance to the club, the United defence could be in for a torrid time. We at 'Sport are of the opinion that the first twenty minutes are vital, if we can hold them at bay for that length of time, then we might just have a 'wee' chance. So, we need everybody performing at the top of his game tomorrow and we need the Sky Blue faithful to be there in large numbers to give the lads their undying support. Let's make it a good day out in Portadown tomorrow, let's 'shag' those Orchard county sheep!