Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Strike duo key to Utd success
THE key to Saturday’s 2-1 victory over Morton was the pairing of strikers Scott McDonald and James Keatings according to boss Ray McKinnon.
The Tangerines put a three-match winless run in the league to an end with a good display against Jim Duffy’s ’Ton at Tannadice at the weekend.
The major difference to previous weeks was the number of chances created by the United frontline.
Something Ray credits to the i mpact made by his front pairing.
He said: “I do think it helps having two strikers in there who can both take it to feet and link the game as well as threaten.
“They gave options to midfielders and wide players and they were a threat in the box — when you put it all together it does give you a better flow, so I was pleased.”
By t he ti me Keatings grabbed the opening goal in the 65th minute, Ray reckons his team “could have been out of sight by that point”.
Chances had come and gone before that opener and those misses came back to haunt them on 75 minutes as Mor ton levelled the scores through Bob McHugh.
The response, though, from his team to rally after that setback and go on to grab another goal and with it the three points was pleasing for the Tannadice gaffer.
He said: “I was disappointed to lose the goal because we could have been out of sight by that point.
“We had a couple of chances and were in really good areas but it was a great response from the players and I’m really pleased.
“Hopefully, we keep the improvement going and the team has started to grow in confidence which sets us up nicely for this Saturday.”