Chop Hatchets!

The time has come, nay we digress, the time has been long overdue, United need to put their Irish cup semi-final game on the back burner and get back to winning ways. We are the only team with two games to play before the split and our opponents in those two games, Crusaders and Lisburn Distillery, will be desperate to beat us for two very different reasons. Crusaders, whom we play tomorrow night at Seaview, require the 3 points to bring them level with 3rd placed Cliftonville and put them right in the hunt for the Gibson cup, while Lisburn, our opponents next Tuesday at Ballyskeagh, require the 3 points to consolidate their rise from the bottom of the league.

Back to tomorrow night's game and the bad news from the Showgrounds is that the ever present Mike Smith, may miss his first game since signing for the Sky Blues, his chances are rated 50/50 at the moment. Smith is a vital cog in the United machine and despite what the B.B.C. commentators say, did score the goal of the season at Mournview Park in our drawn Irish cup game with Glenavon. But on the plus side, United's best player in that game and the subsequent replay, Aiden Watson, is fit again after missing the 2nd half of the Portadown game and our pointless trip to Windsor Park on Saturday. Aiden's all action enthusiasm could be the fulcrum that tips the match in our favour tomorrow night.

If Smith is not available the versatile Sparky could get the nod at rightback, where he has played in the past, but then again where has Sparky not played this season? Left-back is one that springs to mind, as he has at times been tried in most other positions, including the keeper's jersey in United's game against tomorrow night's opponents at the Showgrounds way back in August. If United manager Roy Walker wants to 'gee' his side up for tomorrow night, maybe a reference to that game on August 22 would just do the trick. We cannot afford to be drawn into the relegation dogfight that now looks set to be fought between Institute, Lisburn and Newry. Six points in our next two games would go a long way to ensuring we're not involved. So come on Sky Blues, let's shag, those paper Tigers!