Linfield 1 Dungannon Swifts 1

CIS Group Stages

1st September 2007, Windsor Park

Team: Mannus, Douglas, O’Kane (McCann 77), Murphy, Lindsay, McAreavey, Gault, Ferguson, Curran (Stewart 77), Thompson, Dickson (Mulgrew 77)

Scorer: Ferguson (21)

Attendance: ca. 1000

Pathetic.

I thought it best to wait till now to post, I was too p*ssed off after the match.

Back to the usual hoofball up to the forwards, meat and drink for any IL centre-half worth his salt, mainly cos we couldn't string 3 passes together all day. Typical of this was our last passing move of the day, the awful Douglas, having already sliced/hoofed/mishit x balls to anyone but someone in a Blue shirt all game, decided to play a long ball across the back, which, via another Lindsay long ball, went straight out into touch. Classy.

Another big minus was DJ's bizarro substitutions. I'd have brought off:

Thompson: has been awful of late, his game is so predictable and he resembles Bambi on ice at the moment.
Maccers: I have never seen a more sluggish, unfit full-timer. His passing was terrible today too. He should have walked for that x-rated tackle (as should McCabe for the reaction).
Douglas: see above. Jim Ervin must be wondering what in God's name he has to do.

Admittedly, Jeffrey could have brought off 6 or 7, but to bring on Tim McCann, to bring off Dicko and to put on Tommy Stewart YET AGAIN at left-wing where he clearly isn't up to the task, beggared belief. How Thompson and Dougie lasted 90 mins astonished me. And to start Spike again is nonsensical (although I thought he played ok).

The Swifts had at least 4 100% chances, hit the bar, missed a one-on-one sitter, Tim McCann put McAlister off with a last-gasp challenge, and that shitebag Campbell hit the post when it was harder to miss. Make no mistake, we were lucky today. Terrible crowd as well.

We have a LOT of work to do before the league starts. Our passing and football has gone to pot. Hard to watch.