United entertained Mossley YM at Millbridge last Saturday and following what was a good day’s work they turned in a 3-0 win which gives if they repeat this performance in their remaining games they might just escape relegation.
This game burst into life in the 20th minute when Johnny Stevenson slammed home a shot from around the penalty spot during a scramble in the Mossley penalty area.
The visitors pressed for an equaliser but they created little and the defensive barrier of Davis, Patterson, Dickson and Stuart McMullan provided a platform for this victory given their straightforward approach to clearing their lines. John McMenamin provided a safe pair of hands in the goalkeeper position.
United’s midfield of Ian McMullan, Gavin Crawford, Ben Wilson and Scott Brashaw held the ball comfortably with Brashaw linking effectively with forwards Ross Murray and Johnny Stevenson.
In the second half United came out with a purpose not only to defend their lead but also to increase their it and it was teenager Ross Murray who as a constant thorn in the Mossley defence scored United’s second on 50 minutes when he smashed the ball home after good work by Stevenson. Crawford went close minutes later when he shot over after a serious bit of misunderstanding in the visitors defence.
On the hour mark Murray made it 3 -0 when the Mossley defence waited for an offside call against Stevenson however he had never made any attempt to go for the ball and the quick thinking teenager scampered onto the loose ball to coolly finish past the goal keeper.
Sadly the game got rather physical in the latter parts of the game and manager Alan Davis replaced a few of his senior players because of the danger of them being sent off such was the provocation being dished out. Greg Allison, John Hill and Ben Onuoha came into the game and played excellently to maintain one of the few clean sheets of United’ season so far.
Ballynahinch United Swifts secured a derby win against Drumaness when the two teams played each other at the Assumption playing fields on Saturday. A hat trick from Alan Massey and another from Craig Tate gave them a valuable three points.