The 1sts have 16 points after 10 games and are currently in 2nd position of the Northern Amateur Football League Division 1B.
The Swifts currently sit in 11th position on 3 points after 4 league games of the Northern Amateur Football League Division 3D.
With 5 points after 5 games The Albion are in 9th place of the Newcastle & District Football League Division 3.
United travelled to Shimna College for a league encounter with the seasiders.
The visitors went into this game on the back of a good recent run of results and were keen to keep this going. In the first half both teams battled to find openings and it was the home side who had perhaps the best of the chances with the United keeper Brian McMullan making a couple of good saves. United midfielder David Kelly had their best chance of the half when his shot went narrowly wide.
The second half was much the same as the first however United had the best of the opportunities when Ian McMullan diverted a shot from Scott McKibbin just over the cross bar. Aaron Cheevers had a great shout for a penalty when his shot cannon off the arm of a Newcastle defender however referee Cousins adjudged it to be accidental.
The game then petered out as a contest and both team had to be satisfied with a point.
United entertained Holywood F.C. at the Millbridge on Saturday last and will have been disappointed not to have secured a win however being 2-0 down at half time they may well be happy enough with a point thanks to a brilliant second half comeback.
The home team were 2 – 0 down after the first 25 minutes when they conceded a penalty which was hotly disputed and a second goal through a very good header. United almost got one back before half time when Johnny Hunter hit the post.
In the second half United came out more purposeful and got a goal back when Johnny Hunter scored through a free kick on the hour mark. It would be another quarter of a hour before United got their equaliser when another Hunter free kick was headed into the net by Alan Patterson.
In the last minute the United supporters thought that they had secured all three points when Ian McMullan headed past the Holywood keeper however Scot McKibbin was adjudged to be offside as he put the ball over the line.
A great fight back from United was not enough to retain top spot in the league which was assumed by Rathfern Rangers.
This week United travel to Newcastle for their next league fixture.
United travelled to Ballywalter Rec on Saturday for a league fixture hoping to extend their unbeaten run to four matches.
The first half was dominated by United however they really created very little except for a header from Ian McMullan which went just over the crossbar. In the second half it was the home side who took up the running and but for a goal line clearance from Scott Brashaw and a couple of good saves from Brian McMullan they would have been behind. Gareth Bingham had one of the best of the second half scoring opportunities when his shot was well saved by the Ballywalter keeper. Just as the game seemed destined to be a scoreless draw Stuarty McMullan skipped down the left wing on 87 minutes and crossed to the back post and up stepped Craig Bowman to side foot the ball into the empty net.
These three points put United to the top of the Division 1B league table although they have played a few more games than their rivals.
This week they entertain Holywood at Millbridge.
United entertained local rivals Saintfield United in this league game at Millbridge.
The two sides had met almost a month ago with United winning by a clear margin at Saintfield however in this reverse fixture things were not made so easy with the visitors in much more resilient mood.
Saintfield United’s excellent win last week against Division 1A side Barn United meant that they were coming off the back of a good result.
It was United who were in the ascendency in the early stages of this game scoring in the 25th minute through Ross Hayes and also hitting both the cross bar and post. Stuart McMullan had a goal ruled out for offside however few in the ground agreed with the referees decision.
In the second half Saintfield were a far better proposition and restricted United’s scoring opportunities to a couple of long range efforts.
United’s inability to get a second goal which would likely have killed the game came back to haunt them when with ten minutes to go Ross Hayes had the misfortune of tunring the ball into his own net for Saintfeild’s equaliser.
United will have been disappointed that they did not play better and would have hoped to have taken all three points particularly at home however they have managed to remain unbeaten for a number of weeks and will hope to take this good fortune into their next match away to Ballywalter Recreation.
