Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Banks is latest Utd kid to star in Betfred Cup
Historic youth policy is still bearing fruit at Tannadice
WHEN it’ s come to personnel, since the turn of the year at Dundee United, the focus has mainly been on who’d just signed, was about to be, or even could be signing.
It’s what happens when a club gets taken over by a new owner, in this case American Mark Ogren, with millions to invest.
And it should be said, with the arrivals since January now running well into double figures, the fans haven’t been let down.
United, though, are a club with a long and illustrious tradition of producing their own players, so as welcome as the signings have been, that emerging talent has been one of the features of an encouraging Betfred Cup campaign has to be pleasing.
At Stenhousemuir last week 20-year-old Louis Appere and Logan Chalmers, 19, both showed up very well in a 2-1 victory.
And at Tannadice on Friday night, as Cowdenbeath were comfortably taken care of in a 3-0 win, it was the turn of the even younger Scott Banks to shine and shine brightly at that.
Like Appere and Chalmers, the 17-year-old is a product of the Tangerines’ youth policy and, judging by his performance, it’s still working nicely.
Making his first start, the wide kid wasted no time in showing what he had to offer in setting up Sam Stanton for a chance that probably should have seen United move ahead.
Several good runs and crosses later, he combined with Lawrence Shankland to set up Argentine left-back Adrian Sporle for his first goal for the club.
But for a sensational one-handed save by Cowden goalie Kevin Dabrowski from a measured curling shot, Banks would have been on the scoresheet himself by the break.
In the second half, it was back to being provider and it was from his cross Shankland claimed his first Tannadice goal for United with a perfectly-placed looping header from just inside the box.
And the fact he was taken off 10 minutes or so before the end served to give replacement Appere the chance to continue his good work from earlier in the week by heading home for the third.
The assist for that one, incidentally, came from Chalmers, also a sub on the night.
Of course, while those three and others look certain to get more game time in the coming month, it’s highly unlikely none will be regular starters for another season or two.
There is too much quality and experience in the squad for Robbie Neilson to risk them on too frequent a basis this soon.
Of the men Arabs will be seeing regularly, most exciting for them on Friday was the sight of that Shankland header float into the top corner of the net.
That’s t wo goals i n three competitive games since his arrival and he could already have had a few more.
In the dying minutes at Stenhousemuir he was thwarted by a fine save and a header he sent past the post by a whisker last night was an opportunity he’d expect to score.
After he had found the net, the 23-year-old saw a decent shot fly just over and, after some quick thinking to capitalise on hesitant defending, his effort from a tight angle was hacked off the line.
Already, though, he’s done enough at United to strongly suggest he will be finding the back of the net on a regular basis this term and his pass to Sporle for the opening goal showed he’s more than just a chance taker.
He’ll be eager to be among the goals again when East Fife visit tomorrow night for the final group game.
It’s a game that should bring another United victory and, if it does, is 99% certain to see them qualify for those knockout stages that start next month.