THE GOAL STANDARD
Chalmers hoping to learn from Shankland
Logan Chalmers revealed how his first-ever strike for Dundee United came crashing off his nose as his side blew morton off the park on saturday.
The 19-year-old celebrated breaking his duck for the senior team by bundling home from two-goal winger Paul mcmullan’s 84th-minute cross.
Chalmers stepped off the bench to complete the rout having watched hat-trick hero lawrence shankland light up Tannadice once again with another ruthless display of finishing.
‘It hit my nose but they all count!’ said Chalmers. ‘I was just waiting on it coming in and finished it off.
‘I have scored a few goals for the reserves and that but it’s my first goal for the first team. It feels really good — I’m buzzing.
‘Wee Paul (mcmullan) said he saw that the ball hit my nose. he mentioned that my facial expression was something else.
‘To be honest, I don’t care because I’m absolutely delighted to have got my first goal.
‘I have to take the opportunities when they come along, whether that is starting a game or coming off the bench.
‘You have to be ready for anything when it comes along.
‘I haven’t set myself a target for the season other than to try and be involved as much as I can.
‘everyone wants to be out there on the park and I have to keep doing well to get that chance.
‘I have to keep working hard and making a mark when I can.
‘I have to continue to get in good positions.
‘It was my nose that I scored with this time but any contact is fine by me as long as it goes in the net.’
shankland struck twice inside the opening four minutes before completing his hat-trick 11 minutes into the second half.
mcmullan also got in on the act with goals in 40 and 79 minutes.
Chalmers has been bowled over by former ayr United striker shankland’s exploits so far this season, with 15 goals already to his credit since his summer arrival from somerset Park.
But the rising star insists their top scorer is more than simply a prolific goal-machine who relishes putting opposition sides to the sword.
he added: ‘shanks can’t stop scoring, so it was good for me to be able to chip in. he is so good but it was a quality team performance.
‘You look up to him and see how he finishes things. It seems to be every game that we get a goal or even a hat-trick or four.
‘he is a great addition to the team. For example, in training, if you are not doing something right he will tell you, so you do learn from him.
‘he is more than just a goal scorer and is always happy to help out the boys.
‘It is good to get a goal myself but, to be honest, we are all happy about the team performance more than anything.’
United have turned Tannadice into a fortress with four straight Championship wins already this season which has seen them bag no fewer than 18 goals on their home turf.
But Chalmers is sensible enough to know they’ll still have to keep their feet firmly on the ground as they prepare for Friday night’s tricky trip to face alloa.
‘There is a good feeling about the club just now because we have started the season well,’ he said. ‘however, we don’t want to get too carried away. It is game-by-game for us. ayr have also won a lot of games this season and our only slip-up in the league has been down there.’
DUNDEE UNITED (4-5-1): Siegrist 6; Watson 6, Brown 7, Reynolds 6, L Smith 7; McMullan 8, Harkes 6, Butcher 6 (Stanton 64), Sporle 6, Pawlett 7 (Chalmers 71); Shankland 9 (Appere 78). Subs not used: Mehmet, King, C Smith, Graham. Booked: Watson.
MORTON (4-4-2): Rogers 6; Welsh 6, Baird 5, Grant 6, Strapp 6; Lyon 6 (King 74) Millar 6 (Blues 46), McAlister 6, Cadden 5; Sutton 6 (Colville 46) McHugh 5. Subs not used: Ramsbottom, McLean, Muirhead, Salkeld. Booked: Strapp. Man of the match: Lawrence Shankland. Referee: Alan Muir. Attendance: 7,404.