Yet again, Down-on-their-luck Tangerines are hit by injury-time sickener

PLAYERRATINGS

IN this most painful of seasons, Dundee United’s mantra seems to be what can go wrong, will go wrong.

At various points of the campaign, injuries, missed penalties, red cards, individual errors — in fact whatever mishap imaginable can befall them — at vital times have occurred.

On Saturday at Morton, added to the list was an injury-time own goal to deny them what would have been a deserved and much-needed victory.

And, just to add to their misery, it saw them fall out of the play-off places.

For most of the day, after a string of poor results, it looked as if some cheer was finally going to come.

A much-improved performance appeared enough to take three points after recent signing Bilel Mohsni produced another i mpressive performance and capped it with a goal early in the second half at Cappielow.

And so things remained until three minutes into overtime when, first Mohsni, with probably his only mistake of the afternoon, overstretched and sent a long punt he’d intended to go upfield spiralling behind for a corner.

Worse was to follow when the kick skidded off Billy King’s head and into his own net to hand a point to the home team.

A minute later the whistle sounded for the end of the game and the Tangerines were left to troop dejectedly off.

It was another disaster, of which there have been too many, though this time you could not help but feel sorry for them.

Unlike the previous outing at Inverness last Tuesday when it seemed United could have played all night without scoring, on Saturday their raids into opposition territory carried a genuine threat.

Handed a start in a central-attacking role, Paul McMullan was left shaking his head i n disbelief when what appeared a certain goal from an early effort at the end of a fine move instead saw home keeper Derek Gaston pull off one of the saves of the season.

McMullan continued to be a sharp and dangerous threat and, by the time Mohsni headed that opener, efforts from the Tunisian, Scott McDonald and young Matty Smith were all decent.

That’s not saying United were back to their best but there was no question this was much better than what’s been produced of late.

And it was being done against a side that has not only been strong at home, but one that must have fancied their chances of another three points after recording a mightily-impressive win at Tannadice as recently as January.

The fact United were the better team showed this is a team that does have some character left and is still capable of playing good football.

What’s also apparent is they remain a side that’s struggling badly right now.

They need to find a way to win, and fast, because the games in hand they hold over most of their rivals are quickly being used up and dropping out of the top four is a major concern.

A ray of hope could be provided in this week’s double header against Dumbarton. The Sons look to be heading for the relegation play-off and, in theory at least, that should provide the chance to pick up a couple of very important wins.

Unless, of course, United find yet another way for things to go wrong.