United entered this, their penultimate home game on the back of a good home win but missing a number of regular first teamers however the way they played from start to finish was a credit to them and their management team.
Right from the kick off it was the home team with the wind in their backs who were on the offensive with a long range shot from Gareth McMullan having the Portaferry goalkeeper Stephen Keith scrambling across his goal mouth as the ball passed his left hand post.
On twenty minutes Aaron Cheevers had a great opportunity when he ran onto a Greg Allison cross however he didn’t get enough power into his shot and goalkeeper Keith pulled of an outstanding save to touch the ball around the post for a corner.
United were dominating midfield with Scot Brashaw pulling the strings supported by the hard working Cheevers, Allison and Patterson.
Johnny Stevenson led the forward line exhibiting great strength in holding up the ball however a pulled hamstring on the half hour mark led to him being replaced by Aaron McCaffrey.
In defence Ethan Majury, David Boal and Dalton Tate were defending what little attacking threat that Portaferry posed over the first half hour with relative ease however in the last fifteen minutes of the 1st half they came into it more. Brian McMullan in the United goal had to make a few timely interceptions to pick up through passes as the opposition’s pacey forwards started to find space.
In the 35th minute Portaferry took the lead when Brian McMullan’s superb save to beat out a stinging shot fell kindly to Aaron McCarthy who was able to side foot the ball home.
In the second half United found themselves both 1 – 0 down and facing a strong wind in atrocious conditions and yet it was the home side who dominated possession. Unfortunately they failed to find the necessary openings and on the hour mark Michael Doran doubled the visitors lead when he ran onto a through ball to strike a shot past McMullan into the net.
While Portaferry would have the occasional breakaways United passed the ball around with ease with teenagers Tate and Allison providing on both flanks however their best chance was a shot from Ian McMullan that sailed just over the crossbar.
This weekend United travel to Newtownards to take on one of the league favourites 1st Bangor.