Down Ports!

Make no bones about it, this is a crunch game for United when they take on third placed Portadown in their postponed game. No Sky Blue fans need reminding of what the Ports did to us in the Irish cup semi-final a couple of seasons ago and they 'mugged' us twice already this season, although we contributed to our downfall in the first game at Shamrock Park. There can be no slip-ups tomorrow night, we just can't afford them, four points from our next two games and we get a bit of breathing space. We won't be out the woods by any stretch of imagination, but it will give us a wee cushion for the four potential cup finals we then face.

Distillery, Glenavon, Dungannon and Carrick Rangers will be fighting for their very existence and they'll be 'blood and thunder' matches. Not that our next two matches against the 3rd and 2nd teams in the league will be a pushover, but we might see a bit of football played, but they'll be no quarter asked or given. United must do without the services of Captain Jenks as he serves a one game ban and young Neil Lowry is away with the Norn Iron youth team. On the plus side Sparky is expected to take Jenks place and that only leaves Spike to pick one from the two ex-Ports men, Ally and Jordan. Ally gets the Sky Blue Sports team vote, for he gives us width, but Baker gives us another striking option, or Spike could spring a surprise and introduce someone we don't know.

There's rumours flying around tonight about us going to sign a 'mystery man' from over the border, but as far as we know they are only rumours. We couldn't honestly see a player who would make a difference, playing for the sort of money we would be paying. Roy Walker has left us in 'dire straits' because he spent our budget on substandard players, many of them on two year deals and that is Spike's legacy. There's an old saying, 'you can't make a silk purse out of a sows ear', but Spike and the boys are going to have to try. If they get our level of fitness up then maybe the boys can do something about trying to compete on an even keel, not get over-run as we have been in so many games this season. We need the 'right' goalie in the nets, whether it be Dwayne or Wayne and the right defence in front of him and in the absence of Jenks that will surely mean Tony Kane retaining his place in the back four. It's going to be tough, but we need to be tough, come on United, let's down those Ports!

Let's Hope!

Let's hope the Crues players have one eye on the Irn Bru final and they're not as brutal in the tackle as they have been in our other matches this season. Let's hope that Spike, the two baldies and 'mad dog' have got their act together and select the right team for the narrow Seaview pitch. Let's hope that Johnny Taylor starts his first game for us, we don't care who he partners, Archie or Cookie or if Vauls is fit, Spike could partner Black and Taylor in the centre, (or is he too scared of Alfie too). But after his insipid display on Tuesday night, we think Kane has to rested, although Woods had a stinker the last we played the Crues here, does lightning strike twice, when speaking of United we think it does.

Carson must surely get the nod in midfield and he although he wasn't good on Tuesday (who was), Ally must retain his place as well. There's a lot of talk about Lowry getting a start but we hope that's not at the expense of Baker, who tried hard on Tuesday night. Elvis on the other hand proved he can't string two games together, he was a passenger and if he's not dropped it will be a miracle. Glenn and his team maybe could think Tuesday result was a 'one off', but we know different. A look at our goals against total makes dismal reading, only two clubs have a worse tally and this needs to be addressed urgently. We hope the boys had a good training session on the 4g pitch at the Showgrounds tonight, in preparation for tomorrow night's match. We 'hope' were up for this one, come on Sky Blues, let's shag those paper tigers, we hope!

Coyle Toil!

United go into this re-arranged match with the Glens brimming with confidence and they'll come up against an old adversary in Glens caretaker boss and former United player, Roy Coyle. If you wanted a man to steady 'your ship', then there can be no more experienced man than the prolific Coyle, the man is synonymous with success. This was always going to a tricky fixture anyway for the Glens probably feel they owe us something after we humbled them in their ground in the first round of matches this season. Man for man they probably have the edge on us in skill, but we got the belief and that counts for more.

As far we know Spike has no injury worries, but loan-signing Johnny Taylor must sit this one out as he cannot play against his parent club. So it looks like the same panel of players as of Saturday, but maybe Glenn and the boys will want to tweak the side due to their tactical plans. Dwayne did well enough in goal to retain his place but the management may have other ideas, but the news today that we have released third-choice keeper Aaron Kerr, will make it a two horse race between Dwayne and Wayne (we wouldn't want to try saying that after a few vodkas and tonics). It will be interesting to see if Coyle rings the changes as the Glens player must be shell shocked after Saturday's results.

Our guess is he will keep the same basic team and hope to instil enough pride into them to turn in a good performance. We must be ready for the backlash and try dictate the pace that the match will be played, not be drawn into a test of stamina. We are left to wonder, if Elvis is selected, will he play as well as he did on Saturday or was that just a fluke. The forecast is for calm seas and we hope Jenks and the goal machine, Cutch, don't have their travel plans disrupted tomorrow, we need both of them here. We don't suppose they'll be many Glens fans at the match, they aren't famous for travelling to midweek fixtures anyway, but at least they have an excuse this time. So it's all systems go for three points, come on United, let's shag those lambs from the East!

White Knight!

United manager Spike Ferguson, returns to his former 'hunting ground' tomorrow, when the Sky Blues take on Lisburn Distillery in the Irish cup at Ballyskeagh. This will be Spike's second game in charge of the 'high' team and the supporters will be anxious to know whether a first win is on the cards. It promises to be a tough encounter, the whites will fight tooth and nail to get a result on their home turf, but United must be equally determined to put one over on them. Will Spike give an instant debut to on-loan Johnny Taylor is one the questions we don't have the answer to. Another is the who fills in for the suspended Sparky, the recipient of another 2 game ban, which means he'll miss United's next two games as well as tomorrow's.

With Rory Carson having found a bit of form, that means it should be a choice of Gavin Taggart or Conor Downey, neither of whom gets the blood pumping. But of course Spike and the two baldies may have other ideas and promote young players such as Owen Gillan or Jamie Davidson. Or they could surprise us and select Elvis and go for a 4,4,2 formation instead of the more negative 4,5,1. Distillery's striker Gary Ligget will need close watching and after his success last Saturday against Rory Patterson, Archie looks to be the man for the job, leaving Taylor or Cookie to cut out the supply. Ross Black, not given a chance under Roy Walker, made a good impression last week and should retain his place as Vauls serves a ban for 5 cautions and misses this match.

We at 'Sport are still not sure about Tony Kane and his back-up Curtis Woods has failed to impress us also, but in the continuing absence of Sparky, we have nothing else, unless someone comes available before the end of transfer deadline which is looming. Jordan Baker and Ally Teggert are two players who have not performed to their usual standards and tomorrow would be a good time to start 'cutting the mustard' so to speak. Both suffered injury recently, but that's no excuse for their lack lustre performances of late. The goal machine, as Davy King calls him, Cutch hasn't scored for three matches and we all hope he was saving it for tomorrow, for he is the jewel in our crown. The fans are up for the cup, the manager and the two baldies are up for it, let's hope the team are up for it. Come on Sky Blues, let's shag those Lisburn lambs!

First Blood!

Spike and his team, the two baldies, have hopefully come up with a plan that'll see United put one over on the 'fat' controller and the I.F.A. The talk on the forum tonight is about 4 players from other clubs at last night's training, signings we understand, will be imminent and not before time. That's for the future and Spike and the boys must go with the same basic panel we have had all season. Whether he'll have seen enough in training to make a change, or whether he sticks with the same 'motley' crew is anybody's guess, we fervently hope he's instilled a bit of confidence and pride in his first week in the job.

Sparky, having served his one game ban should be available for selection and we expect him to get the nod in midfield alongside in either Jenks or Gavin or if fit Downey. On his display last week Rory Carson looks to be the automatic choice. Neil Lowry who was disappointing last Saturday, should be in the panel and Spike might well start him and it should go down well with the United fans, we like to see youngsters given a chance, The same can be said for Jamie Davidson, subject of a lot transfer talk in the local papers and Spike has added him to the panel as well for tomorrow's game. Hopefully Ally will have shaken off the injury that was still troubling him last weekend and return to his scintillating form we have already witnessed this season.

Keeper Wayne Drummond must have a good match in front of what promises to be our biggest crowd this season, it would be a good time to impress. If he can just get an understanding with Cookie and Archie and impress upon them, if he doesn't call for a back pass, they must hit to the stands. Did Spike see see our inability to deal with set-pieces? We hope he or some of his lieutenants were taking notes last Saturday, if they weren't, the I.F.A. will find some gaps to exploit, especially at throw-ins. It's nearly impossible to predict what the I.F.A. will try to do, at Windsor Park they tried to overwhelm us and succeeded, but in the end they had to settle for a scoreline of 1-0.

If were brutally honest it wasn't as close as that, but if we had, had any belief that day, we might got a share of the points. It would've been daylight robbery we know, but we've been 'mugged' many times in matches with the I.F.A. so it was a chance to even the score. We are going make a predication now, if we can hold out for the first 20 minutes tomorrow, we have a chance of getting something from the match, if not we'll probably get beaten, although we hope not trounced. Tomorrow's match in the scheme things is not going to be a pointer for the rest of the season, but it could reveal if the team's got any spirit and that's a vital ingredient. So come Sky Blues, let's shag these village people, (Spike and the boys not included)!