Penalties help United win

Press, 27 August 1979, Page 30

Penalties help United win

Two penalties helped Trans Tours United beat an unruly Courier Rangers team, 3-1, in a Rothmans Soccer League match at Queen Elizabeth II Park yesterday. The loss drops Courier into the bottom three on the points table and, in addition, its hard-working midfielder, Graham Storer, was sent off midway through the second half, and will be charged with threatening violence to the referee (Mr Arthur Edwards). It was a match United should have won. It had a clear majority of the possession, but its old problem of converting possession into goals again occurred. Courier looked dangerous in isolated attacks, but displayed little cohesion or teamwork. However, it looked just as likely to score as United when it did surge forward, particularly in the first half. The slippery playing surface hampered the players and frustration had become apparent by the end of the match. The first real chance of the match fell to the Courier striker, Jack Schuurman. In the fourteenth minute, the outstanding Courier winger,

1 Peter Henry, beat United’s 1 centre back, Graham Griff- > iths, and his crass was i strongly headed by Schuurt man. Only a fine reflex save : by United’s goal-keeper, Peter Moot, prevented a f goal. i Two minutes later Henry’s , accurate left foot shot from , the edge of the area as f dropped by Moot, who re--1 covered just before Schuur--1 man got his boot to the ball. ) In spite of United’s gener- • ally good buildup play, the ease with which Courier’s ! former. international goali keeper, Kevin Curtin, held ■ the first three balls of any ’ note must have seemed i ominous. At the other end, Henry ■ caused more problems when I he slipped between two United defenders arid hami mered his left foot shot into I the side netting. There was still no score , after 28 minutes and United i looked likely to have a I tough fight on its hands if it ■ was to take two important i points. Four minutes later it was two goals up. f In the twenty-ninth and • thirty-first minutes Courier i defenders handled the ball, i and lan Park scored from , the penalty spot. His second

shot was touched on to the post by Curtin but Park followed up and pushed the rebound into the net. Seven minutes later, Rene Marek, the Courier risht back, headed over the bar from a corner and just before half-time, Henry kicked the bail across the face of the goal from an acute angle. Early in the second half United’s superb sweeper, Bobby Almond, almost got his name on the scoresheet for the first time this year when he put the ball in the net from 12m. The “goal" was disallowed for off-side. United’s third goal, eight minutes after the interval, was a fine header by Barry Weymouth after good work down the left flank by Kevin Mulgrew. United continued to push forward and a low, hard shot from lan Marshall was well saved by Curtin. A bad goal-kick from Curtin gave Mulgrew a chance from 20m, but Curtin redeemed himself by flicking the ball wide. Mulgrew bounced the ensuing corner off the crossbar. At the other end, Storer saw Moot block his strong shot but three minutes later,

J Frank McKay, who had one -of his less impressive e matches, muffed a great chance from sm. 1 Twenty minutes from the t end, Marshall was penalised r for handled ball and Henry - scored from the penalty i spot. After this, Courier 1 came back into the match 2 but did not help its cause with constant bickering f among its players. , Storer was sent off, after t earlier being cautioned for t kicking Park, and that ef- ■ fectively decided the out- ? come. ’ United created many chances; Steve Sumner : headed the ball over the bar; , McKay broke clear but was z recalled for an earlier inr fringement; Weymouth z scooped a Park cross over the bar; and Marshall hit the i ball over from 15m. 1 Courier’s best efforts came i when Dave Taylor, its for--1 mer international midfielder, : broke clear, but Moot brai vely blocked his shot, and I two minutes later Henry’s I powerful drive was well : held by Moot. The win was United’s onehundredth in national league • soccer, and leaves it well in ; the running for second place , in the league.