The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Ralston remains upbeat despite familiar story
CHAMPIONSHIP: United undone by errant finishing and poor defending
United’s propensity to take one step forward and two back has been a recurring theme this season as they have failed to live up to their billing as Championship favourites.
Just when it looked as though they were starting to build momentum for the crucial final phase of matches they fell flat on their faces on the dreadfully poor surface at the Your FM Radio Stadium.
Csaba Laszlo’s almost funereal trudge across the rutted pitch at the conclusion spoke volumes. He looked like a man who may not have much fight left in him.
Perhaps, it was an immediate emotional reaction because, even if United were far from their best, they still should have won on Saturday when they got back to 2-2.
However, some bad luck and errant finishing coupled with awful defending ended up costing them dearly.
In essence, United were awful at the back allowing Craig Barr to score with two almost identical headers.
Tony Ralston was the only defender who came out with a pass marks but he remains passionately positive about United’s prospects even if the manager’s body language indicated the contrary.
The 19-year-old, on loan from Celtic, is insistent that the Tangerines have the necessary fighting qualities to mount a successful campaign in the closing phase of the season.
The Tannadice fans will have to hope that everyone else in the squad is on message for the remaining five matches when United simply have to clinch playoff qualification.
Ralston scored his first goal for United and also set up Scott Mcdonald as they came back twice but then could not finish the job and lost again at Dumbarton for the third time in two seasons.
The teenager said: “It’s a hard one to take but that’s just the way it goes. Sometimes, in football, you need a stroke of luck and we didn’t get that on Saturday.
“But the boys came out in the second half and showed the fighting spirit that I’ve noticed from them before.
“There is a great belief among the players here and, with a bit more finesse and more concentration in defence, we could have taken the three points.
“The manager gave a good team talk at half-time, telling us that we had to go back out and show what we had showed at Tannadice in midweek.
“And, to be fair, that’s what we did – anyone watching this game again will realise it shouldn’t have turned out the way it did.
“At 2-2 it looked as though we’d go on and win it.
“The game could have gone the other way and we could have had four or five goals. But we’ll learn from this and we’ll move on.”
United were sluggish in the early stages and could have been behind before Callum Gallagher bundled the ball into the net in 11 minutes.
Ralston equalised in 51 minutes when he headed home Billy King’s cross but United went to sleep in 59 minutes when David Wilson’s corner came in and Barr showed great desire to head into the net.
Mcdonald levelled from Ralston’s cutback in 70 minutes and the Aussie was unlucky to have a shot cleared off the line by Chris Mclaughlin while Paul Mcmullan hit the side-netting.
United were caught out again in 79 minutes as Barr headed Wilson’s cross home from a similar position.
St Mirren now come to Tannadice tomorrow, desperate to get the point they need to clinch the title, which makes the match a real challenge but Ralston insists the players will be ready.
He said: “We were hoping to create momentum by getting a run going so Saturday was a setback but we’ll pick ourselves up.
“I was proud to get my first goal for United – and an assist as well. That was satisfying but it doesn’t make up for a disappointing result.”