Sage Stuffing!

We know its not Christmas yet but United have to think that way when the Chickenville come to town and stuff them. This match comes at a crucial time for United and their young management team. They just had a drumming for the champions (the IFA) 12 days ago and they now meet the team that's aspiring to follow in the IFA's footsteps and win the league this season, Chickenville. Standing in their way is United and their unbeaten home record in the Dankse Premier league, a record which has stood since February 4, when Chickenville ironically beat them. United go into this match with a mounting injury crisis, latest casualty is Mike Ruddy who has a broken bone in his foot, added to was the news that Johnny Taylor will miss the rest of the season from his recent impact injury, coming in contact with the stock car track, only one winner there and it was not Johnny. The stock car track has long been an issue which the United board has sought largely to ignore, passing the 'buck' onto the council and the council in turn promising that were going to do something about it and doing nothing.

But for tomorrows match United must also do without services of the player of the season so far, Gavin Taggart, suspended for one game. Gavin and his combatant style its true to say, rankles referees, its not that he a vicious player, he just can't see why somebody can flaunt the rules and get away with it and this invariably gets him into trouble with referees, when he takes the law into his own hands. We at 'Sport think he's a definite candidate for team Captain, he'll not ask anyone to do what he thinks he'll not do himself and his hearts in the right place. But his obvious replacement, Sparky, also misses tomorrow's game through suspension and the game against the IFA next Saturday, at IFA headquarters, Windsor Park, but he'll be available for the County Antrim Shield final as will Gavin probably. As for team news, we don't have a clue, Cush limped out of last Saturday's encounter from the aptly named 'hatchet men', but we expect him to be fit. who fills in at Gavin's position is a matter for conjecture. Tony Kane looks the obvious choice and Chris Rodgers filling in at fullback.

Failing that Spike could move Archie to that holding position or spring a surprise and include some hitherto unknown from the reserves. Is there a case for playing the 4,4,1,1 formation he used so effectively against the Crues or do we revert to a more orthodox 4,4,2 or the more attack minded 4,3,3 which our management team seems to favour. It was obvious to the 'Sports team last week how adaptable our players were when they switched to the new formation without question. They showed the right attitude and they will need to show that attitude tomorrow again if they are to get anything from the form team in the IPL this season. They can be beaten, they already have been beaten and if our attitude is right we can take all three points, but if our attitude is wrong, we must expect to come unstuck. We know it will be tough, but when the going gets tough...., we all know the saying, but it still rings true, so come on Sky Blues, lets shag those chickens!