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Tangerines hold on for big win on the astro as Clark penalty sees off Queens

IT wasn’t one of the most memorable victories and certainly far from a perfect one but Dundee United’s 1-0 success at Queen of the South is the type that can make or break a title tilt.

Away to a tough ground on a difficult surface with the most potent striker in the country and a team themselves pushing for the play-offs, Saturday was a test of the new-look Tangerines’ mettle.

Especially with what seems to be the first-choice central defensive pairing of Mark Reynolds and Mark Connolly missing.

However, Freddy Frans and Rachid Bouhenna put on a real show of strength at the back in what turned out to be, at times, a torrid second half.

What this game demonstrated clearly was you have to fight for every point in this division, even when facing 10 men and a goal up with 50 minutes left on the clock.

Because at the break United were seemingly cruising to victory – any in that team that thought the result was done and dusted, however, had another thing coming.

For much of the opening half, the visitors were in control, dominating possession but struggling to pick their way through a compact home defence.

Their best spell came with Queens reduced to 10 men as full-back Scott Mercer got treatment for a cut face. Peter Pawlett created himself a chance but rolled it wide of the post and Pavol Safranko volleyed straight at goalie Alan Martin from close range.

The game-changing moment came five minutes before half-time as Queens’ central defenders showed their inexperience, allowing United to take full advantage.

After receiving Iain Wilson’s pass under pressure, Motherwell kid Barry Maguire dallied and Pawlett was on him like a flash, stealing the ball and looking certain to score only for the youngster to panic and haul him down.

Referee Andrew Dallas, no stranger to pointing to the spot, had no option but to do so again and show Maguire a straight red card as he made no attempt to win the ball. Up stepped former Palmerston favourite Nicky Clark to stick in his eighth of the season.

From there all in the ground expected it to be plain sailing in the second half for the Tangerines with Queens having shown very little and now a man down.

Boss Gary Naysmith, though, had other plans as he switched to three at the back and kept the front pairing of Dykes and Dobbie.

The pendulum swung and suddenly it was the away defence under pressure. They had kept Dobbie quiet but a free-kick 30 yards out gave him his first sight of goal and, boy, did he almost find it. Benjamin Siegrist was relieved to see it fly inches wide.

With 20 minutes to go Kyle Jacobs smashed an effort off the bar and quickly the Doonhamers smelled an equaliser.

The match had swung so much in favour of the 10 men that boss Robbie Neilson had to change his set-up to match Queens with defender Paul Watson on for winger Paul McMullan.

A couple of panicky clearances and heart-in-mouth moments aside that seemed to work as United held out for what could prove a huge three points.

Captain’s display at the back as Utd had to show grit to see out the game. Nicky Clark finds the bottom corner from the spot.