From a mate who supports Linfield, Northern Irish champions... we're not alone!

I watched your game and you were the better side on the day by far. The >telling factor for me was that Chelsea just had more class throughout the >side, and never really looked in danger of losing despite all your pressure >and chances. > >Wait til you hear how we lost. This will cheer you up if nothing else. > >Irish Cup semi final against the Glens. Huge crowd, brilliant game. We go in >front about 25 mins in, and batter them. Don't score any more, and they come >back at us, equalising with a dubious free kick just before the interval. >Some atrocious defending early in the second half saw us go 2-1 down. They >then proceeded to show total gamesmanship, kicking our players all round the >show, and behaving like the shitpops they are. Again, we are all over them >but can't score. (we had 22 efforts on goal to their 5) Last five minutes >and one of our players is brought down in the box. We celebrate the penalty. >The referee waves play on. Ball goes straight back into the box, our striker >has a header which beats their keeper. As we prepared to celebrate the goal >one of their players handles the ball on the line. We await a penalty and >sending off. Neither given, Total uproar at this point. Again, we press for >the winner, ball is crossed into the box and again one of their players >handles. Again no penalty given. I might be biased, but even the press said >that all three were certain penalties. 90 minutes is up. 4th official holds >up the board that shows 3 minutes injury time. We throw up all our players >into their box, to no avail. When the clock shows 93 minutes gone we're >about to leave the stadium, but Tony Gorman hoofs the ball into the box, and >one of our defenders rises majestically to head home. Total delerium. Never >seen celebrations like it. The match kicks off again with our players still >celebrating. We're now into the 6 th minute of a 3 minute spell of injury >time. The referee puts the whistle in his mouth to blow for full time, but >waves play on when the ball breaks for Glentoran. They kick the ball into >our goalmouth, none of our players are back defending, striker heads it in. >ref blows up immediately. Lost 3-2. Worst circs imaginable. Totally gutted. >

-- Anonymous, April 11, 2000