O’Hara and Co steal spotlight from Shankland
ALLOA 1 DUNDEE UNITED 0
IN A week of headlines dedicated to Dundee United’s Lawrence Shankland, it was Championship basement boys Alloa Athletic who stole the show. The part-timers were superb as they outplayed Robbie Neilson’s league leaders to defy their lowly status. A Kevin O’Hara first-half tap-in did the damage as the visitors toiled on a frustrating night for the Tangerines, who passed on the chance to open up a threepoint lead at the top of the table over Ayr United. Peter Grant’s Wasps started the evening propping up the rest of Scotland’s second tier but you wouldn’t have known it as they played their much-fancied guests off the park during an electric opening half. The got their just rewards 18 minutes in when O’Hara put the finishing touch on a wonderful flowing move down the right. Dundee United were a shell of the side who thumped Greenock Morton 6-0 as Alloa had them on the ropes. The part-timer’s fluid football ran Mark Reynolds and Troy Brown ragged at the heart of the defence and they couldn’t deal with the raw pace of O’Hara. The warning signs were there for all in Tangerine to see and they were lucky to head in at the break only one down when Iain Flannigan nicked the ball off the retreating Paul McMullan’s toes and forced Brown into a lastditch block. Things could only get better for a team who still fancy themselves amongst Scotland’s elite and a half-time rollicking seemed to do the trick. Suddenly the baying travelling support – who had come in good numbers – had something to shout about. Shankland nodded an effort just wide via a deflection and from the resulting corner McMullan stung Jamie MacDonald’s palms with an effort from outside the box. It was all Dundee United as Alloa dropped deeper. McMullan forced MacDonald into another fine save as the visitors desperately sought to avoid the ignominy of making it three trips in a row to the part-timers without a win. But, when Shankland rose between the centre-backs and nodded a free header wide, it was clear it wasn’t Dundee United’s night. Dundee United manager Robbie Neilson said: “I was disappointed and thought we didn’t compete the way we should, especially in the central areas. “If you are going to try and win a title you have to win the physicality battle and we didn’t do that. “We have good players and it is up to them to step up to the plate. You’re at Dundee United and you’ve got to win your 50/50s. You’ve got to win your headers and the second balls. “It is about how we react now and we take it one game at a time. We will look at it on Monday and learn the lessons from it.” The win lifts Alloa off the foot of the table and up to the lofty heights of seventh. Boss Grant said: “To a man everyone stuck to their guns and was competitive and that’s very important when you’re a footballer.”