Windy Windsor!

United go to the home of the I.F.A. (Linfield), to take on the League leaders and all you can do when your up against the might of the I.F.A., is pray for a good surface (well that's a laugh for a start) and a calm day (the forecast is for strong wind). But that's to be expected, sure the 'fat controller' blows a hurricane we're told himself. We would usually say a 'fair' referee, but when our team play the I.F.A. we know that's not possible, but you just hope for one that has a basic understanding of the rules and not making them up as he goes along, aka Andy Hunter. We are down to get one of the best around (the rest are pathetic), Brian Turkington, who at least keeps up with the play, but tends to see no evil when the elbows are flying from the I.F.A. players.

United manager Roy Walker has intimated in the papers that he tends changing the team around. We sincerely hope he doesn't go for the line-up he selected for the Portadown match, Archie in midfield and if you include Sparky, that gave us a team of six, out and out defenders and no outlet. Portadown, for their part took a while to settle down and if we had been sharper and not give away two atrocious goals, things could be different. We joke about the 'fat controller', but he has seen it all and will react to what line-up Roy picks anyway, so there's no way to second guess him. We at 'Sport are of the opinion that goalkeeper Wayne Drummond is not fulfilling the promise he showed on his first lot of matches, but maybe he's lost confidence in the defence, we know we have.

One player who's not available to manager Walker tomorrow, is centre-half Liam Watson, who has been suspended for a breach of club discipline. The rumour has it, he confessed to being out drinking on the night before the Cliftonville game. At least he has an excuse and if he volunteered this information he is be commended not vilified, if on the other hand he was 'shopped' by one of his mates (and we use the word 'mates' in it's loosest terms), then he deserves everything he gets, including a hangover and in future he should pick his mates more carefully. We welcomed Dicky Vauls with open arms, mainly because he had been released by the scum and we were wanting to see them end with egg on their face, but alas it hasn't worked out and Archie, is looking a viable option, but his lack of pace is a worry.

Ally Teggart showed a welcome return to form and his fellow recruit from Ports, Jordan Baker, is starting to show glimpses of his early season form also. Aaron Boyd looks likely to lose his place for tomorrow's game, he scored a goal last week, but his all round play leaves much to be desired, but in the absence of the hopeless Elvis, he is our only other option up front. United must look to it's two Scotsmen, Cutch and Jenks, for inspiration. Cutch can do more than he is doing, knocking the goals in right ,left and centre, but Jenks needs to do more and assert his authority on the game. Who will partner him, is anybody's guess, the 'Sports team prefer Sparky, but manager Walker seems to prefer Downey and he's getting fitter every game, but we need him fit now.

We expect Roy to keep his two central defenders Rodgers and Cookie Munster, but whether it's Woods at rightback or Kane we don't have the foggiest. Of course Roy might spring a surprise and play both of them, deploying Kane in right-midfield or could bring our secret weapon to bear, the fit again Rory Carson, but like Downey he needs to be really fit. So there you have it, will it be a relatively attack minded formation, or one with the emphasis on defence, considering how bad we are at the latter, we hope not. Whatever team selection Roy and his back-room staff come up with they better know one thing, we need everybody playing their hearts out tomorrow, not some lack-lustre performance which has been seen all too frequently of late, but eleven guys playing as their life depended on it. Give your all boys, come on Sky Blues, let's shag those I.F.A. sheep in their backyard!