Head-wise Cutchy is riding on the buses

You wait forever for one to come along and then you get three in quick succession.

The diminutive striker bagged his fourth goal of what is fast becoming an impressive season to help Ballymena United record a deserved draw against Cliftonville on Saturday.

McCutcheon stooped to nod home Richard Gibson’s flick-on from Nathan Hanley’s corner in the eighth minute.

For McCutcheon, whose modest stature can sometimes limit his aerial threat, it was a third headed goal already this season.

Unfortunately for the Sky Blues it couldn;’t secure three points at the Showgrounds, with Cliftonville defender Peter Hutton finding a 45th-minute equaliser to earn a share of the spoils.

But for the former Portadown striker – who was signed by Roy Walker in the summer – it has been an encouraging start to the season.

“I suppose people will say it was a typical goal from me, pouncing from close range,” he said.

“But it was another header which is bizarre.

“I don’t think I had scored a header in three years and now I have three this season. But I’ll happily take them.

“I have been scoring a few which is always nice.

“I felt sharper today for the first time in a wee while. I haven’t been happy with my performances recently, but as long as I am getting goals that’s the main thing.

“I thought I combined both a decent performance and a goal today.”

McCutcheon gave United the perfect start with his header which crept past Barry Johnston and into the Reds net on eight minutes.

Cliftonville laboured in the opening half, and had only Kieran O’Connor’s 25th-minute volley which stung the hands of Dwyne Nelson to show for their efforts in the first half-hour.

But Eddie Patterson’s team-talk changed with Hutton’s equaliser on the stroke of half-time.

George McMullan floated a corner to the back post which was headed across goal by Ciaran Donaghy, and Hutton surged in unmarked to nod home from six yards.

The visitors should have taken the lead less than a minute after the restart.

Stephen Garrett was sent clear on goal by Chris Scannell, but after rounding Nelson the striker could only shoot wide of the target.

Barry Johnston then struck the top of the crossbar with a long-range effort in the 65th minute, while at the other end Michael Smith found the side netting with a powerful back post strike.

Eamonn Murray went close with a deflected effort in the 79th minute as United went for the kill late on, but the draw was probably the fair result at the Showgrounds.

McCutcheon believes it was a good response to Tuesday’s late defeat at Crusaders.

“Losing on Tuesday against Crusaders, and so late on, was a sickening blow, even though we probably deserved to lose that game,” he said.

“I felt today we gave a good account of ourselves and anyone could have won it at the end.

“We should be encouraged by the start we have had. I think if you look, we have probably played four or five of the teams that you would expect to be in the top six, and we have picked up points.

“So that is hopefully something that will stand us in good stead.

“We have to try and keep it going against the so-called lower ranked teams in the league. But every game is so tough in the division so there are no easy fixtures out there.

“Hopefully we can keep it going.”

McCutcheon believes there is “plenty more to come” from United this season after a summer of player upheaval on Warden Street.

“We have a lot of new faces, and we are all getting to know each other now,” he said.

“We are getting to know each other’s games a bit more which helps.

“So I believe there is more to come from us.

“We have to start beating every team, and that means showing some consistency week to week.

“We have proven we can beat the likes of Linfield, Glentoran and Cliftonville in the past. Now we have to start picking up points elsewhere.

“Apparently it has been a problem for Ballymena, struggling against the lower teams.”

As for McCutcheon himself, he admits he has set himself a target of 20 goals this season – last term he got 16 for Portadown.

“I set myself a target of 20 goals. That’s my personal aim,” he said.

“As for the team I think it is too early to start predicting things. We have to keep plugging away and see where it takes us.

“We have played most sides now and we haven’t been outplayed by anyone, apart from the defeat to Donegal Celtic.”