Arbroath victory better than the derby – Robson

DUNDEE United defender Jamie Robson says the l a st- g a s p c ome -f r ombehind victory against a stubborn Arbroath was better than winning the derby.

Since beating their fiercest rivals Dundee 6-2 at Tannadice, the Tangerines had lost out to the Lichties in the Challenge Cup and been beaten 2-0 at Ayr United.

And it looked like it was going to be another disappointing day at home to Dick Campbell’s Red Lichties as the part-time outfit led an out-of-sorts United with only seconds left on the clock.

Up stepped prolific goalscorer Lawrence Shankland, not once but twice, to give the Tangerines a big three points to keep them top of the Championship.

Robson told the Tele: “It’s always good when you have Shanks!

“He will finish anything and he showed great composure with the first goal and then the header – that’s why he is here.

“It was a tough game, they had 11 men behind the ball and we needed to break them down which is hard.

“We went 1-0 down but we stuck to what we knew, we didn’t just launch it forward but kept passing it and moving it.

“That’s what we do in training all week and it’s paid off.

“It was amazing by Shanks but it’s about the momentum and spirit we have.

“It felt like an amazing win out there – better than the derby.

“The circumstances we were in, it was a tough game but we did it. We need to keep doing it.”

The victory keeps Robbie Neilson’s men in first place, if only on goal difference ahead of Ayr, and Robson says winning games like this is exactly what the Tangerines need to do to stay there come the end of the season.

He added: “That is a message sent out – we are here to win the league.

“That’s the No 1 priority and there will be games like Saturday where it is hard and we need to grind it out.

“We are all good players, we believe in each other and have each other’s backs.

“As long as we keep doing that, we’ll have a right good chance.”