EXHIBIT 5.1

                                 August 21, 2002

United Community Bancorp
1039 Second Street, NE
Hickory, North Carolina 28601-3843

Ladies and Gentlemen:

As counsel for United Community Bancorp (the "Company"), I am furnishing the
following opinion in connection with the proposed issuance by the Company of up
to 210,116 shares of its common stock, $1.00 par value (the "Common Stock")
pursuant to the United Community Bancorp FGB 1999 Incentive Stock Option Plan,
the United Community Bancorp FGB 1999 Nonstatutory Stock Option Plan, and the
United Community Bancorp FGB Stock Option Plan (collectively, the "Plans").
These securities are the subject of a Registration Statement to be filed by the
Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Form S-8 (the
"Registration Statement") under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
"1933 Act"), to which this opinion is to be attached as an exhibit.

I have examined the Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws of the Company, the
minutes of meetings of its Board of Directors and such other corporate records
of the Company and other documents and have made such examinations of law as I
have deemed relevant for the purposes of this opinion. Based upon such
examination and such certificate, it is my opinion that the 210,116 shares of
Common Stock of the Company which are being registered pursuant to the
Registration Statement, may be legally issued in accordance with the Company's
Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws, and when so issued and duly delivered
against payment therefore pursuant to the Plans as described in the Registration
Statement, such shares of Common Stock will be legally issued, fully paid and
nonassessable.

The opinion expressed herein does not extend to compliance with state and
federal securities laws relating to the sale of these securities.

I hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration
Statement that you are about to file with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. In giving this consent we do not hereby admit that this firm is
within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the
1933 Act or the regulations promulgated pursuant to the 1933 Act.

                                                     Yours very truly,

                                                     GAETA & ASSOCIATES, P.A.

                                                     /s/ Anthony Gaeta, Jr.

                                                     Anthony Gaeta, Jr.