Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Siegrist vows United won’t give up the fight for a top six finish
DUNDEE United goalkeeper Benjamin Siegrist says “nothing’s impossible” and insists the Tangerines will keep on fighting for a top six finish.
Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Kilmarnock means United remain in seventh spot in the Premiership table, four points behind St Mirren in sixth with two games remaining.
With champions Celtic and fourth-placed Aberdeen still to come to Tannadice before the split, pipping the Buddies to the post looks a tall order for the Terrors.
However, Siegrist said they won’t stop believing they can do it as he reflected on a share of the spoils at Rugby Park where Zech Medley’s secondhalf strike cancelled out Adrian Sporle’s opener for United on 18 minutes.
“A win would certainly have been better but nothing’s impossible,” said the Swiss stopper after being asked if the result had damaged United’s top six hopes.
“It’s just one game at a time, you pick up points next week and then the sunshine is out and everyone is buzzing.
“Earlier in the year we would’ve said a point away from home would’ve been good but we’ve come so far to be disappointed with it.
“We should’ve been able to, not just hang on, but look for that second goal.
“Even though they equalised we still had two good chances at the end. It’s fine margins, as always.
“We’re ambitious so we’re disappointed.”
“We’re always disappointed to concede because, as a unit, we pride ourselves on getting clean sheets.”
The 29-year-old former Aston Villa man said the Terrors were frustrated as they let their levels slip in the second half to allow Killie back into the game.
Like all goalies, Siegrist prides himself on clean sheets, and admitted not being able to shut out the Ayrshire men rankled the United squad.
He added: “The first half was kind of equal, both teams had their chances, and we got a little bit of luck (with Sporle’s deflected goal) which is nice for a change.
“Second half we were a little too passive and let them push us back which is, obviously, not what we wanted to do.
“There were going to be spells where they had the ball because they’re chasing it but, overall, it was disappointing because we had a lot of confidence going into the game.
“I’m annoyed, in general, at any goal.
“It got headed on at the near post, goes across the six-yard box and just hits off him, it’s not even finishing, and on another day it goes wide or a defender blocks it.
“Unfortunately that’s football and that bit of luck went against us on that occasion after it going for us with the deflected goal we got.
“We’re always disappointed to concede because, as a unit, we pride ourselves on getting clean sheets.
“It gives us a good chance to win or at least hold on to a point in every game.”
Soon after Medley’s equaliser, Tommy Wright’s men thought they had taken the lead as Kyle Lafferty crashed a strike into the roof of Siegrist’s net from close range.