United took on Park View hoping to get the 3 points to keep them close to the leagues top teams. Manager Michael Smith decided on making a few changes to playing positions with Craig Averre moving from centre mid to right back, Andy Meikle moving to right wing from right back and Stephen Sheriff moving from centre back to centre forward. The changes proved to work with United scoring 7 goals in a league match for the first time in a long time with Stephen Sheriff scoring 3 and Andy Meikle scoring 2 and getting 1 assist.
United controlled most of the game and had the first chance on 6 minutes when Craig Averre swung in a delightful cross but Stephen Sheriff headed over from 12 yards out
On 10 minutes Park View had a free kick 30 yards from goal but Stephen Keogh in the wall deflected it for a corner which came to nothing and United cleared
Craig Averre took a quick free kick to Michael Parkin on 12 minutes and he played the ball through a gap to Scott Stevenson who cut inside but saw his shot fly over the bar
United took the lead on 15 minutes - Scott Stevenson whipped in a corner which was heading into the net, the keeper tipped it onto the bar and the ball fell kindly to left back Stu Bowman who drilled it home from close range - 1-0 to United
United nearly made it two on 17 minutes when Michael Parkin released Stephen Sheriff but his shot curled agonisingly just over the bar/post
Park View had a chance 3 minutes later with a cross/shot but it was gathered easily by keeper Steve Barnes but they did level on 27 minutes. A low through ball split the United defence and it was poked past the outrushing Steve Barnes and rolled into the net. 1-1
Michael Parkin swung a free kick into the box on 29 minutes and it was met with a Stephen Sheriff volley which was well saved by the keeper (not that he knew much about it) and it fell to Scott Stevenson who tried to place it into the bottom corner but put it narrowly wide
Park View had a glorious chance to go into the lead on the half hour mark when another through ball left the striker one-on-one with keeper Steve Barnes but his shot was well saved and it remained level
However, United took the lead a minute later when Chris Brown was fouled on the edge of the area. Stephen Sheriff lined up the free kick and hit it low and hard and it managed to sneak in through the keepers legs. 2-1 to United
On 41 minutes Park View were reduced to 10 men due to foul and abusive language directed at the referee but despite having a man less they managed to have the last chance of the half on 43 minutes with a shot from the edge of the box but it was easy for Steve Barnes to gather
Half Time - Wear United FC 2-1 Park View FC
Park View had the first chance of the second half on 47 minutes with a free kick on the half way line. It was hit into the box and met with a header which went just past the post
United doubled their advantage 2 minutes later when a delightful cross by Scott Stevenson to the back post was met with a perfect header from Andy Meikle and it went into the net off the post. 3-1 to United
Park View played another defence splitting through ball on 52 minutes and it was finished with a chipped effort which narrowly went past the post, but the referee decided it had hit a United player and gave a corner much to everybody's surprise but thankfully for United it came to nothing
United were taking advantage of the extra man and on 53 minutes Stephen Sheriff tried an audicious attempt from 30 yards which troubled the corner flag and 2 minutes later Chris Brown set up Andy Meikle but his shot was straight at the keeper. On 57 minutes a great run by Scott Stevenson ended with him shooting across goal but it went wide of the target.
United made the pressure count and went 4-1 up on 58 minutes. Michael Parkin freed Andy Meikle down the right and he squared the ball across the box to Stephen Sheriff and he made no mistake from 8 yards powering the ball into the roof of the net
A minute later Craig Averre tried to get in on the act when a corner came out to him at the edge of the box but his speculative volley went well wide of the goal
United went 5-1 up on the hour and it doesn't matter who disagrees but it was a total fluke. Chris Brown played the ball to Andy Meikle and his cross was mishit but it looped over the keepers head and into the net - Andy reckons he meant it but not in a million years!!!
Manager Michael Smith rang the changes making 4 subs in a few minutes to get some fresh legs on the pitch but on 63 minutes Park View nearly pulled one back when a cross was headed against his own post by Callum Atkinson. However a minute later United got another goal. Adam Ramshaw (one of the subs) showed some great skill and played an inch perfect pass to Stephen Sheriff who shot left footed across the keeper and into the net to make it 6-1 and sealed Stephen Sheriff's hattrick
Despite the scoreline Park View never gave up and had the next couple of chances. On 66 minutes a block from Sam Wade prevented a shot from 8 yards going into the net and a minute later a neat turn in the box ended with a miskicked shot which went wide. Park View's best chance of the second half came on 69 minutes when the striker took the ball past Callum Atkinson then around keeper Steve Barnes but he could only put it into the side netting
Andy Meikle could have also got a hattrick on 71 minutes - Paul Hogg passed to Stephen Sheriff who released Andy Meikle but his second touch was horrendous and meant he was reaching for the shot which went over the bar
United hit the bar 2 minutes later when Scott Stevenson swung in another brilliant corner and Sam Wade met it with a header which came off a defender and bounced off the bar and over
Sam Wade really wanted to get on the scoresheet and after a great run from midfield on 74 minutes he unleashed a shot which went just wide
Andy Meikle and Scott Stevenson both had shots within a minute of each other but Andy's was blocked and Scott's was saved and then on 80 minutes manager Michael Smith decided to come on to replace hattrick hero Stephen Sheriff and within 30 seconds United had their 7th goal. Scott Stevenson taking advantage of a defensive mistake to run clear and instead of squaring to Michael Smith he delightfully chipped their keeper and gave United a 6 goal cushion
Sam Wade picked up a needless yellow card on 85 minutes and then Park View had a shot on 87 minutes that went wide and then a free kick which went over the bar. The final chance of the game fell to United when Michael Smith twisted and turned on the left wing and put it on a plate for Michael Parkin at the edge of the box but he scuffed the shot and it landed at Adam Ramshaw's feet 3 yards from goal but he was given offside
Full Time - Wear United FC 7-1 Park View FC
