United must focus on this big chance

IT’S been a difficult season for Dundee United. There’s no getting round that.

Having hit the top of the Championship at Christmas, to finish the league campaign in third, 14 points behind winners Hibs, has to be disappointing.

But none of that matters now and Ray McKinnon’s men should be going into the start of the play-off campaign against Morton tonight in positive mood.

For a start, what’s done is done so there is absolutely no point in dwelling on it. Certainly not right now.

Once the season as a whole is over the manager and players can sit back, look at the previous 10 months and separate the good from the bad.

At the moment all that counts is being ready for the ties that lie ahead, being 100% focused on taking the chance to get back to the Premiership.

Over the past few days McKinnon has been making the proper noises about their chances. He’s not been making rash predictions but he has been sounding quietly confident.

However his team have been playing that’s how he needs to sound, but the fact is he does have some reason to believe they can negotiate three play-off ties successfully.

United are going in on the back of a six-game unbeaten run that should have been enough to see them take second place, giving them this week off.

The reason that hasn’t happened isn’t down to bad performances, it’s down to too many chances missed and games being drawn.

That’s allowed Falkirk to stay ahead and claim the coveted runners-up spot.

It doesn’t change the fact of the three teams involved right now, United look in the best shape.

Morton look tired and while Jim Duffy has rested some players in the last couple of games because he knew fourth was as high as they could finish, that’s still a problem.

With Duff in charge, beating them will not be easy. Over two legs, though, United should have enough.

And it might just be the extra tie turns out to be a good thing.

Too many chances have been missed recently, hence, the number of draws, but if the front men can get a few goals in the games against Morton, their confidence will return.

That would set them up perfectly for Falkirk next week, then maybe a final tie.

If Tony Andreu and his United team-mates can convert what they create, they’ll have every chance of promotion.