Burns Night!

Burns Night may seem a daft headline as United (the holders), go to Seaview to play Crusaders, the challengers tomorrow night in the semi-final of the County Antrim Shield. Linfield are already through to the final and the incentive is there for United to join them in a repeat of last season's final, where we triumphed in a dramatic penalty shoot-out. To this end we need a strong referee, not like that 'namby pamby' who we had on Saturday, but a good ref who believes in fair play and we think we've got one in Colin Burns. If Burns has a good match, then football is the winner and we have loads of it to spare.

Due to suspensions we must do without Mario and Tony Kane and it will be interesting to see who Spike will select to fill Tony's place. On Saturday he brought Archie on to replace Steely. Are we to read anything in to that or was he just wanting Archie to get some playing time before tomorrow night game. Marky, who has been JT's partner from our second match of the season, ironically on our last visit to the Hatchet men, is a rightback by trade so to speak and he is the obvious choice and Spike could start either Archie or Cookie alongside JT. Decisions, decisions, who would want to be a manager, when so much hangs on your deliberations.

Crues manager, Stephen Baxter, was trying to use bluffing tactics today, saying he's treating this match seriously, but reading between lines, we think he'll be playing some fringe players, but he's sure to have his bench packed with his elite. If, he does include fringe players, it will be up to our players to get at them from the start, for we know from painful experience its hard to turn a match round when you've been beaten to the punch. To this end Captain Jenks and Thommo need to up their game for last Saturday they were found wanting and the same goes for Ally, he needs to start taking chances rather than missing them.

We fully expect Liggie and MM to be retained upfront and where better to cement their budding partnership than at Seaview tomorrow night. We wouldn't be surprised to see Spike go back to his favoured 4,3,3 system, but we think that would leave either Liggie or MM on the bench and the inclusion of Sparky or Archie in midfield. Reserve keeper, Stuart Addis, looks set to deputise for the injured Dwayne, who got no protection from Matthew Tipton's studs or from ref Andy Hunter on Saturday, who stood idly by and watched him get mugged. At the time of writing this, we aren't still sure of the extent of Dwayne's injuries, but we hope it's not too serious and wish him a speedy recovery.

Then there is our talisman, Cush, he has a big part to play and he can be our match winner tomorrow night for sure. He is struggling for fitness, but he usually rises to the big occasions and we expect no less of him tomorrow night. If we had more players with the enthusiasm of the Cush, we know we wouldn't be in the lower reaches of the Premier league, but fighting at the top. Will Spike be telling our players and Cush to shoot on site, we hope so, for its the only way we're going to progress to the final of this competition and beat Linfield again and keep the Shield for another season. So come on Sky Blues, let's shag those paper tigers!