Saints alive!

Blimey, what an evening! Where to start? Okay, the football. United came back from behind three times against Premiership Southampton to share six goals with the Saints, who went on to win the Bill Halsey Memorial Cup on penalties. Brett Ormerod gave the visitors the lead after just seven minutes, taking advantage of some hesitant defending to tap home. The lead only lasted a two minutes before some excellent build-up play saw Dean Whitehead outstrip his marker and whip in a cross that Dave Savage met at the far post to power home a bullet-header.

Midway through the first half the Saints lead was restored when James Beattie swivelled in the area and blasted a shot which squirmed under Andy Woodman and crept over the line. The goalkeeper should have done better but he probably didn't see the shot until late. As before Southampton were only able to maintain their advantage for a few minutes. This time it was good work from Manny Omoyinmi which led to a comical own goal from Michael Svensson, a clearance from his colleague rebounding off him and past Paul Jones in goal.

Svennson made amends in the last minute of the first half when he rose unchallenged at a corner to head home a soft goal. United started the second half strongly, buoyed by the half-time announcements (see below). Again some fine build-up play down the right wing led to the equaliser, this time Whitehead powering home a spectacular shot from 25 yards which gave Jones no chance. There was no further scoring and so the game went to penalties to decide the destination of the impressive trophy. Southampton started the spot kicks with a goal; Jefferson Louis equalised with a powerful shot going in off the underside of the bar. Saints scored again and skipper Andy Crosby equalised. Another Southampton goal before Savage blasted high over the bar. Southampton scored another and James Hunt scored for the Us but Jones took the final penalty to give the game to the side from the south coast.

Signings

Just before the start of the second half Firoz Kassam took to the pitch to announce to the crowd that Dave Oldfield and Bobby Ford have both signed for United on one year contracts. If nothing else this double coup should give United supporters heart for the coming season, as well as putting to one side some of the criticisms that have been levelled at Kassam and Ian Atkins about lack of ambition and penny pinching.

It was also revealed later that Atkins had been talking to Steve Chettle about the vacant centre-back position, and he had been hopeful that Chettle would take part tonight, but the former Forest player signed for Grimsby this afternoon. Another player in the frame is striker Steve Basham, who replaced Manny Omoyinmi with about half an hour of the game remaining, whilst Leo Roget performed for much of the second half instead of Matt Bound. Adam Locke played the whole of the first half and the start of the second until he was replaced by Ford, so it's quite clear that more players are in the frame to further strengthen the squad.

Guyett off his Chester

Scott Guyett revealed today that he has signed a two year contract with Chester City, and won't be going to Australia after all. He will be linking up with his former Southport and Oxford colleague Phil Bolland, as well as Wayne Hatswell and, of course, Mark Wright and Ted McMinn, and he is apparently living in Manchester.

What is unclear is whether this was a piece of dynamic opportunism on Wright's behalf, seeing that Guyett had been released from United and persuading him to remain in the country with the promise of regular first team football, or whether something more sinister was taking place. Not that we are alleging tapping, of course, but the whole episode is, to say the least, interesting.

Numbers game

United also announced their squad numbers today, although too early for Ford and Oldfield to be included. There were a couple of surprises, such as new left back Matt Robinson getting the number 11 shirt, ROS Chris Hackett getting No. 7 and likely first choice centre back Matt Bound getting number 18 (out of 20). The full list is:
1) Woodman 2) McNiven 3) Powell 4) Savage 5) Crosby 6) Waterman 7) Hackett 8) Hunt 9) Steele 10) Scott 11) Robinson 12) Whitehead 13) Ricketts 14) Omoyinmi 15) Stockley 16) McCaldon 17) Louis 18) Bound 19) King 20) Brooks.