SHANKLAND’S WONDER GOAL
Shankland’s 53-yard stunner earns point for United in derby
LAWRENCE shankland went to exceptional lengths to remind everyone of his star quality as the striker’s 53-yard wonder goal earned Dundee United a point in this delayed Tayside derby.
st Johnstone had looked set to vent any l i ngering upset over saturday’s short- notice p o s t p o n e ment when Guy Melamed and Chris Kane wiped out Louis Appere’s early opener prior to the break.
shankland, though, produced a moment of absolute inspiration to ensure a fourth 90-minute draw between the clubs this season.
Letting fly from just i nside saints territory, his majestic strike flew over the backtracking Zander Clark and dropped into the net. A genuine jaw-dropper, it was also a fitting finale to a match in which United paid tribute to the late, great Jim McLean.
The goal was just shankland’s fourth of the Premiership season and only his second since september. If the scotland man has been seeking something to spark his confidence, this stunning strike will surely do the trick.
The outcome keeps Micky Mellon’s men sixth — now three points above Kilmarnock — and extended saints’ win less Premiership run to ten games.
For Perth boss Callum Davidson, whose side are ninth, there was real frustration in having — and missing — the better chances to claim a winner. A sliver of consolation could be drawn from Melamed’s first goal for the club.
Neither of these sides entered this game as frequent scorers — with United’s 18 league goals two fewer than their visitors — so there was an element of surprise in what was delivered during a opening period of real intensity.
Mellon’s team were first to strike after nine minutes. And there was plenty to satisfy the home manager in the speed and construction of the breakthrough.
shankland held the ball up before feeding Nicky Clark’s run into the area. A smart little cutback found Appere for a close-range finish.
showing just one change to the line-up that drew with Aberdeen — Dillon Powers replacing the injured Peter Pawlett — it was the perfect start for United.
A minute’s applause in McLean’s memory had preceded kick- off. The Tannadice titan would have appreciated that move. Glowering anger would, however, surely have been his response to how United subsequently defended.
st Johnstone were level within six minutes. Murray Davidson chanced his luck with a powerful strike that was deflected behind. When t he excellent David Wotherspoon delivered t he corner, Me lamed was left unmarked as he sneaked around the back to head home.
The Israeli striker had been introduced for just a second Premiership start as one of four changes by Davidson in a search for the ‘ winning formula’. His judgment looked all the better as the first half progressed.
The same couldn’t quite be said for his midfield namesake. That Davidson was fortunate to escape a card from referee Colin steven after a late lunge on Ian Harkes.
United sought to gain retribution in a more constructive way. shank land fired a left-foot attempt too high from an acute angle after Clark’s dinked cross to the back post had left the saints backline scrambling.
Then the forward got away from shaun Rooney but was prevented from getting a strike away by Ali McCann, operating in a less familiar wing-back role. saints were continuing to pose a threat of their own in an end-to- end affair. And they claimed the lead seven minutes before the break.
United teenager Lewis Neilson couldn’t quite clear his lines before the ball was forced left to Wotherspoon. His cross was delivered with pace and Kane cleverly angled a glancing header into the corner of the net.
United needed a response in the second half. But no one could have predicted in just how spectacular a manner it would arrive eight minutes after the restart.
shankland took possession from Appere just beyond the halfway line and looked up to spot Clark well off his line.
There was barely a split-second for the thought to flicker into his mind. The execution had to be perfect — and it was. Taking aim from around 50 yards out, the i ncredible strike shankland produced lost no accuracy for the extraordinary distance it travelled.
All Clark could do as he ran back was watch the ball arc over his head and drop into the net. It was just brilliant from a player who had looked frustrated.
sai nt s were t e mporarily stunned. And l i ttle wonder. But Davidson’s men s oon cleared their heads and almost regained the lead.
Wotherspoon’s cross f ound Melamed for a low shot that United keeper Benjamin siegrist blocked well with a foot.
The striker was given a further chance from Appere’s wayward back-pass. This time, however, he would have been better utilising Kane to his left. When his strike eventually came, it was blocked by the retreating Mark Connolly.
A final opportunity for saints was passed up when substitute scott Tanser dragged a shot across the face of the goal.
DUNDEE UNITED (3-4-1-2): Seigrist 7; Neilson 6 (Bolton 55), Connolly 6, Reynolds 6; L Smith 6, Powers 6, Harkes 6, Robson 6; Clark 7; Appere 7 (McNulty 65), Shankland 8. Subs not used: Deniz, Sporle, Pawlett, Fotheringham, Watson, Hutchison, K Smith. Booked: Connolly, Powers, McNulty. St Johnstone (3-5-2): Clark 6; Rooney 6, Gordon 6, McCart 6; McCann 7, Davidson 6, Craig 7, Wotherspoon 8 (Conway 88), Booth 6 (Tanser 78); Melamed 7 (Hendry 88), Kane 7 (May 78). Subs not used: Parish, Tanser, Bryson, Ferguson, Denham. Booked: Rooney, Davidson. Man of the match: David Wotherspoon. Referee: Colin Steven.