Slick and McMullan an ace in a very gifted and good looking United pack

PLAYERRATINGS

I am not a gambling man. However, if I did ever fancy a flutter, I would be lashing more than a few bob on United winning promotion.

Too early to say that? On this display, no!

The United team who took the field last night bore hardly any resemblance to the one which finished last season.

However, some shrewd signings by manager Ray McKinnon, allied to young players he has brought through, have brought a freshness to the side.

It was hard to imagine that this United line-up has had so little time to gel. You’d think they had played together for ages given their understanding and one-touch passing.

OK, you could say they were playing a side two levels below them who are part-time.

However, if you have a few bob left after putting some cash on United, you may well be tempted to put it on the Gable Endies being elevated from League Two!

Stewart Petrie and his back-room staff had them organised, disciplined into a system which gave them leave to attack at will and they looked lively and efficient throughout.

One thing Montrose didn’t have was a player to rival Paul McMullan.

One of Ray’s summer signings, the former Celtic and Dunfermline wide player showed he can become a major part of United’s promotion push. He was lively, pacey and very dangerous.

Strong running was another feature of his dynamic performance.

Take his goal for instance. Once he had taken Jamie Robson’s pass, he was off like a rocket.

Veering in from the left touchline, he gave himself room to shoot and, although his effort took a deflection and went in off Montrose goalkeeper Jordan Miller, it was a fitting end to a fine piece of build-up play.

Paul was aided by the two players directly in front of him, Matty Smith and James Keatings.

Matty was playing i n familiar surroundings, having been on loan at Links Park last season.

After being a bright young prospect at St Johnstone, he now looks like he’ll show his potential at United.

Like McMullan, he took every opportunity to drive forward and he was also adept at finding space in the Montrose penalty area.

It was his shot which William Edjenguele turned in for goal No 2 and he netted the Tannadice side’s third with a neatly-tucked-away header.

Keatings, regarded as a hot prospect at Celtic, has made his way to United via St Johnstone, Hamilton, Hearts and Hibs.

A wide-man, who can also play through the middle and is also a good striker of the ball, the new summer signing looked eager and, with plenty of pace, is another fast addition to what is a very quick Tannadice front-line.

Trialist keeper Deniz Mehmet had very little to do such was United’s tightness at the back, the replacing during the second half by Cammy Ballantyne, Tam Scobbie and Mark Durnan of Stewart Murdoch, William Edjenguele and trialist Paul Quinn making no difference to the effectiveness of the United rearguard.