Top spot United spend Christmas at No 1 after coming from behind to beat St Mirren

PLAYERRATINGS

DUNDEE United made it a MerryChristmasatTannadice after extending their unbeaten record and claiming the No 1 spot for their own with a hard-fought win over St Mirren.

On paper, the game was a home banker against the team propping up the league table but United’s rearguard were definitely tested as they hung on for a vital three points.

Now, at the midpoint of the season, the Tangerines are the star atop the Championship tree after promotionrivals Hibs dropped two points at home to Raith Rovers.

That was a timely present from the Hibees, especially with the next meeting between the sides less than a fortnight away.

However, on Christmas Eve, it was the Tangerines who started out with the gift-giving.

Early on, Mark Durnan and Gary Mackenzie had clashed painfully after the United defender had headed clear.

Mackenzie couldn’t continue and then Durnan followed into the dressing-room minutes later.

Coll Donaldson came on for the former Queen of the South man and gave the Paisley side an early Christmas present shortly afterward.

You’ve got to feel for the young defender, though, minutes after coming on and Paul Dixon throws him a ball that bounces up at chest height.

He’s barely touched the ball and he’s put under serious pressure, which told, and gave John Sutton an easy chance to make it 1-0.

He took it and ended Cammy Bell’s tilt at the all-time club clean-sheet record in the process.

The Tangerines, though, weren’t about to feel sorry for themselves — they went straight up the other end and scored through Scott Fraser.

Then right on half-time, Fraser won a free-kick out wide — a decision contested fiercely by the St Mirren defence — before picking himself up and floating a ball in for Simon Murray to nod home.

In the second half, United would have been expected to push on and grab more goals but, Murray and Donaldson headers apart, it was the Buddies who did most of the attacking.

The Tangerines defence had to be right at it to keep the visitors out, and standing tall was big William Edjenguele.

‘The Edje’ battled well with Sutton in the air but late on he came into his own with two last-ditch tackles and the big Frenchman really did deserve a Bon Noel for this display.

Despite it being Christmas, the referee wasn’t giving out too many cards but you’ve got to say he was charitable to Dixon late on.

In the closing minutes, the left-back reacted after a clash between Bell and a St Mirren attacker before appearing to push his opponent in the face.

Raising your hands like that is a red-card offence and Dixon looked to have gotten away with being put on the naughty list as he was allowed to stay another day.

United saw the game out and could tuck into their Christmas dinners with the knowledge half their work for the season is done — and done well.

It wasn’t a cracker but the season as a whole is turning into one and, if United can keep their 14-game unbeaten run going, there might be no stopping their run for promotion.

The Christmas puns are running dry now but most Arabs will surely agree it’s a wonderful life in the Championship at the moment.