Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Utd pay penalty as cup woes hit them hard again
T H E com bi n at ion of Dundee United’s cup woes and penalty shoot-out troubles struck again on Saturday as the Tangerines went out of the Tunnock’s Caramel Wafer Challenge Cup to Arbroath.
A goalless 90 minutes at Tannadice paved the way for this third-round tie being decided by spot-kicks and that spelled bad news for Robbie Neilson’s men.
It was by no means the disaster of May’s promotion play-off final at St Mirren when they could only manage one converted penalty but it was bad enough as Liam Smith saw his effort saved and Sam Stanton struck a post to hand victory to the visitors.
And that meant United’s impressive, not to mention perfect, start in the Championship this season has been sandwiched between home cup defeats when facing sides many expected them to beat comfortably.
It should be added the weekend loss was nothing like as disappointing as July’s shock Betfred Cup reversal against League One East Fife that effectively led to their failure to progress from the group stages.
That loss was as disappointing in terms of performances as it was the result. This time, had they won by a couple of goals, no one could have said it was anything other than deserved.
The fact they didn’t was down in no small part to an excellent display by Arbroath goalkeeper Derek Gaston.
As well as saving from skipper-for-the-day Liam Smith in the shoot-out, in a second half largely controlled by the home side the goalie pulled of a string of fine saves.
Best of the lot came when he managed to stop a Louis Appere header right on the line but he also put in good work to deny Peter Pawlett and in clawing a Nicky Clark free-kick away from the top corner of his net.
That’s not to say Arbroath spent the 90 minutes parking the bus inside their own box.
Dick Campell’s part-timers actually started the tie brightly and, but for a bizarre reading of the i ncident by referee Mike Roncone, would have had an early penalty.