Road Wars!

We are on the road again and we're prepared to go to war to get the three points and no mistake about it. Colin Burns is the ref appointed for this match which is usually a feisty encounter and United needn't expect any sympathy from the 4th official, Dung native, Brian Courtney. As for team news as usual we haven't got any but the word on grapevine (rumours in the Fountain bar), is that Cookie should be fit and raring to go, but we take that with a pinch of salt because we were told in good faith that Taylor and Cookie would both be fit for Tuesday night and it was only 50% right. Sparky, harshly sent off on Saturday, should be available for selection, but if Spike hasn't any injuries, we expect him to say same again. That would mean Jimmy Mac starting on the bench and the much criticised Ross Black keeping his place at leftback.

Another player coming in for some criticism is joint leading scorer Ally, who it is fair to say, has not been firing on all cylinders this term. On Tuesday night he was a virtual passenger but Omar says he will a word with him before the start of Fridays match and that should do the trick. Omar says he had a word with an unnamed United player before a certain match away to Omagh town and he scored four goals that day, the player, not Omar, it's too long ago for the rest of us to remember. Ally, unlike last season, has started slow this season, but we need to him to start performing soon, as rumours persist about Cush being suspended for Monday night's match at home to Linfield. Ally has boundless talent, but he's not getting involved in the play and we need to find the reason behind his loss of form. Is he unhappy with the system Spike's playing, 4,3,3 compared to last year's 4,4,2, whatever the reason he needs to get it sorted and sorted fast or he could find himself playing with his mates in the reserve league.

Elvis got a rare outing on the bench on Tuesday, but whether that was because we were down to bare bones, or whether he's knocking on the door of fitness remains to be seen. He didn't exactly exert himself in the halftime kick-about on Tuesday night, standing with his hands thrust deep into his pockets, talking to Stuart Addis, but as we said, maybe he was just making up the numbers. No news of his striking partner Jordan Baker either and it looks like we seen the last of him in a United shirt, but what do we know. Ex-player, Darren Murphy, who sportingly missed that penalty last season which could of cost his side dearly, has been installed as manager at Dungannon and though we wish Darren well, we hope he's not too despondent of being on the losing side tomorrow night. It'll be a tough encounter, but we console ourselves with the old saying, 'when the going gets tough the tough get going', come on Sky Blues, let's shag those chicken lovers!