Butcher has a beef
Skipper Cal slams flops over shock home loss
United skipper insists Cup flop to League One side is unacceptable
CALUM BUTCHER pulled no punches as he branded Dundee United’s home horror show against part-time Peterhead as unacceptable.
Micky Mellon’s Premiership flops were shocking as they were brushed aside by Jim McInally’s League One side.
Peterhead fully deserved their victory, which was even more astonishing given this was the Blue Toon’s first competitive fixture since March 7 while United already have 10 top-tier games under their belt.
The match was won by Steven Boyd’s 51st-minute strike and although United had nearly 40 minutes to recover, they failed miserably to find a response.
That summed up what had been a dismal day for the Tangerines with Tannadice skipper Butcher withering in his assessment of his side’s feeble display.
The midfielder said: “We all take responsibility for the performance.
“It wasn’t good enough and we know that as a team.
“It is days like this where you have to stick together.
“Whatever noises from outside,utside, you need to stick togetherogether and bounce back fromom this.
“We havehavedonedone itbeforeitbefore and I am sure we can do it again.
“I think frustration has beeneen creeping in and we are a bit low on confidence.
“It is a bit of both really andnd it culminated inn everything going wrong in th is g aa mmee but youou have to beb a man and stand up to it. You hahave to take it when it is bad and also when it is good. “Like aalways we are never too low and nnever too high. “We jujust have to roll our sleeves up now aas we know we have big games cocoming up. “We jujust have to push ourselves on for them. th “We knowkn what happened in this gamgame was not acceptable for DuDundee United and we need tot be better.” Butcher Bu insisted the fact the Tangerines Tan were playing a part- time team two divisions below them had not made them complacent.
He said: “No, I don’t think so. Teams come here and set up a certain way and we have to be better at breaking them down.
“But fair play to them, I thought they were brilliant.
“They did a real job on us and we simply didn’t match them at all.”
Peterhead had chances before Boyd netted in 51 minutes.
The 23-year-old hitman latched on to a pass from Andy McCarthy to coolly send a low shot into the corner of the net past United
keeper Deniz Mehmet from just inside the penalty area.
The goal hero revealed his| lockdown high-intensity interval fitness sessions (HIIT) had helped him be in the right place at the right time for the winner.
Boyd said: “It was a good, solid team performance.
“The whole team has been working hard in pre-season so we are all fit and raring to go.
“It is a great start for us and a fantastic result.
“You could see all the results of the hard work on the pitch.
“At the goal, I just made my run into the box and then pulled off. Andy found me at the edge of the box and I’ve managed to keep it down and put it in the corner.
“The win gives us a great chance in the group now.
“My fitness is obviously a lot better this season as I have been working hard through lockdown and pre-season.
“That work has definitely been a benefit to my game.
“I was just doing my own programme as I am a personal trainer as well.
“I have been working in the gym and in people’s gardens as well.
During lockdown I was doing a lot ot of HIIT.
“There were a lot of boys from m other teams joining in as we e couldn’t get to the gym but now w I am also doing some weights s as I get all the running I need d from football.
“The fitness makes it easier for or me on the pitch, especially when n I get the ball.
“Off the ball you have to work k really hard and sometimes when you finally get the ball you are knackered but when your fitness is better it is a lot easier to keep yourself going.”