Mourning Time!

For those who think Cutch is the best thing since sliced bread, he dropped 'the bombshell' this week, that we forecast way back in December. In short after two seasons and becoming legendary, he'd rather be a villain than a hero. But if you think about he never rests too long at any club, maybe he has a different agenda than most players, that's to play for as many clubs as he can. If you count two stints in Portadown, Crusaders will be his 12th club in a 15 year career, not exactly renowned for sticking is he. We can't help thinking that he was bound for Glentoran but when the 'born again hypocrite' didn't get the job he opted for the Crues. But the question remains is he really interested in playing his heart out for us until the end of the season or merely going through the motions as he has done for the last two months.

Spike has a decision to make, can he afford to play him, knowing when the 'chips are down' he might not deliver, or is it best to come to some agreement with him and let him spend the rest of season packing cheese. Spike's predecessor took the drastic action of ousting the two men who signed pre-contracts last year and we admit we admired him for that, but it probably came back to haunt us in the long run. If by some miracle we got through to the Irish cup semi-final and drew the Crues, could we be sure of Cutch putting in a real effort, we think not. Who among United supporters will ever forget Richard Gibson's glaring miss at the Oval last December and could we be sure if faced with the same scenario Cutch wouldn't do the same.

But wait there's a match to be won at Mourneview against Glenavon, who are fighting to hang on their premier status and although Donegal Celtic done them a favour defeating Carrick Rangers tonight, they'll be anxious to do themselves proud. Spike and the two baldies are down to the bare bones and we can't afford anymore injuries and we believe it will be the same again in selection, bearing in mind the Cutch dilemma. It might be an idea to start young Neil Lowry or Jamie Davidson and leave Cutch on the bench. It's not known if midfielder Alan Davidson is going to make the panel tomorrow, but if he does he'll give us another option and we need plenty of options. We play the 2nd of our six pointers tomorrow, win and we've taken another step to securing our premier league status, lose and it's squeaky bums time. So Come United, live up to your name, let's shag those Mourne Viewers!

Squeaky Bums!

Yes its squeaky bums time once again and the next two matches against Carrick Rangers tomorrow night and Glenavon on Saturday the 25th will go a long way to defining the rest of our season. Four points from these two games would do very nicely, but they'll be tough games and tough points to get. Lose these two games and it really will be panic times at the Showgrounds and with the news that Jordan Baker jaw has been broken, United will have to do with only two fit strikers for the foreseeable future. There's a lot talk about Cutch going around at the moment, how he's not showing the form he showed earlier in the season. We agree, but we know every striker goes through a bad spell and hopefully Cutch's bad spell is about to end.

With Kane, Taggart and Taylor available for selection we expect to see them in the team at the expense of Woods, Archie and the injured Sparky. We would also like to see Rory and young Lowry in the team and surely Ally must come into the reckoning as well. But Spike seems to have a liking for Conor Downey, so it will be interesting to see who he selects to start. Carrick will be fighting for their very existence and it's sure to a tough match to call, but if United get going they should have too much firepower for the Rangers, but we need to be vigilant, tough in the tackle and stop them crosses coming in. We are going to need a huge effort from the boys over the next two games, but we know you can do it, come on Sky Blues, let's shag those harbour rats!

Mind Games!

United go into this Irish cup game against Derriaghy Cricket club, after two heart breaking home defeats, but they must rid their minds of what went before and concentrate on the job in hand. Spike has to make two enforced changes from his starting line-up, with Tony Kane and Gavin Taggart suspended, but he should have a almost complete panel to select from. Curtis Woods, out of favour recently could be the man to take over from Tony and Sparky and Rory could be vying to replace Gavin in midfield. Of course Spike and his henchmen (the 2 baldies), might have other ideas and since he was blameless for last week's defeat, Dwayne should continue in goal we think.

The rest of the team we expect to be on the usual lines and top scorer Cutch will be looking to add to his tally against the amateurs. We should have too much fire-power for the Cricket club, but we need to treat them with respect, that said we will be disappointed if we don't win well. We definitely don't want a start like we had at Dergview, although we came out alright in the end, we as supporters were shell shocked. So we must be professional, none this tig-toying about and make our chances count, so come Sky Blues, let's wield the big bat!

Head Scratcher!

Well I imagine Spike and the two Baldies, were doing a lot of head scratching after United's capitulation to Ports on Tuesday night. We played all the football, Ports were woeful, but they snatched the points, but man for man we were the best team. Admittedly Cutch was up to his usual form, letting Downey take a chance off his toe and on another occasion passing when zeroing in on goal isn't the wee man's usual form. But all in all we at 'Sport thought we played well, but we need be a lot more clinical around goal. It's funny how a different angle distorts things, take the Elvis header in the first half for instance. We thought Miskelly pulled of a brilliant save to deny him, but in the TV highlights it looked fairly routine.

We wonder if Dwayne needs to shoulder some of the blame for their first goal, it did look like a fairly routine save in the highlights, maybe 'mad dog' will have something to say about that. Jenks, free from suspension, should return to the starting line-up, but who will be alongside him is anybody's guess. We are reluctant to admit, but Gavin Taggart, is holding his place on merit and surely Rory must be in the starting eleven. That just leaves, Downey, Baker and Ally to fight it out for the minor place, that's assuming Elvis and Cutch start up front. Tony Kane had a fair game on Tuesday night, although he must shoulder some of the blame for Ports clinching goal, by letting the cross come in, so reminiscent of the Roy Walker era, Spike must eradicate this benevolence.

Cookie, who captained the side in Jenks absence, didn't cover himself in glory but he still must surely be preferred to Archie and Johnny Taylor goes from strength to strength, he's proving a real asset to the team. The Reds will be no pushover tomorrow, they are the league top scorers and they'll be relishing coming up against our slip-shod defenders, but they're vulnerable at the back themselves and if we can match them, we might get something out of the game. But we'll need everybody focused on the job in hand and we'll need to keep it tight at the back and in the last ten minutes if the scores are tied, we must defend at all costs. We need a good professional performance, not any giving away 'cheap' possession, like in the last match against the Reds. So come Sky Blues, let's shag those chickens and their ilk!