Distant Memories!

United go to Chickenville tomorrow needing at least a point from a fixture we haven't got anything out of in two seasons. A tall order at the best of times, but what is even more poignant, this fixture comes on the Saturday of 'remembrance week' and its bound to rekindle old feelings of sadness and the need to move on. But alas United haven't been able to move on as such in our last three matches, losing to Linfield, Crues and the Glens and now we face that other 'townie team', Chickenville, in their own back yard and victories for the opposition there, are usually as scarce as hens teeth. We did say usually, our dear neighbours down the A26(Coleraine scum), had a rare victory there and United need to be organised and do the same.

The word on Dwayne has been good, his jaws not broken, but manager Spike likes to have players play a game for the reserves when they have been out injured, but we at 'Sport hope he shelves that tactic in Dwayne's case. For he is far and away, not only our best keeper, but our best player and we need our best players on our team tomorrow, if we are to get anything out of this match. Don't get us wrong, Stuarty Addis is a more than capable deputy, but Dwayne has that extra something, that sets him apart. Have we seen the end of Marky McCullagh, he was tried at rightback against the Crues and the Glens and he didn't impress and Cookie is a better centre-half than him any day. Mike Ruddy got a roasting last week against the Glens but he didn't get any help from his team-mates, but with Steely McBride fit, Spike has a choice to make.

We are assuming here now that Thommo isn't fit (he had to come off against the Crues), but what midfielder does Fergie choose to play alongside Captain Jenks or is he going back to a 4,3,3 formation or a 4,5,1 as he chose in the first half against the Glens? Your guess is as good as ours, if he sticks with the 4,4,2 system it seems to be a toss up between Gavin, Sparky or Archie to partner the Captain. That would leave Ally and Cush on the wings and a choice between any 2 of the 3, of Mario, Liggie or MM to spearhead our attack. Or Fergie could play an entirely different formation, as he did for the first hour last Saturday, only changing it when we went 3-1 down. must we wait until we are chasing the match to bring on our strikers, we at 'Sport think that's the road to no town.

Better to have them on at the start of the game and be giving the Reds defence something to think about, rather than waiting until we are chasing the match. The match referee is none other than our old friend, Mark 'ham shank' Courtenay, who needs no introduction to Sky Blue fans and we can expect no favours from him, so we'll need to be on our guard and not give him any reason to punish us, with silly bookings and the like. We have struggled to play on Chickenville's 3G surface in the past, but there's really no excuse for us now, for we have the same facility at the Showgrounds now. The surface encourages good passing and we struggle on that score, but if we can match the Reds in midfield (which won't be easy) and not let Boyce and Gormley have any free shots, we maybe will get something out of the match, but its going to tough, so come on Sky Blues, lets shag those Chickenvilliers!