Booth is left ‘devastated’ by defeat

Breaking two-year goal duck is meaningless for United defender after hosts score late winner

ALLOA ATHLETIC 2 DUNDEE UNITED 1

Nearly two years to the day since scoring his last goal, Dundee United’s Callum Booth finally netted again on Saturday with a free-kick straight out of the top drawer – but was still left feeling utterly devastated at the end of the game with Alloa.

Jim Goodwin’s part-timers had frustrated the life out of the Tangerines before the full-back’s superb strike gave his team the lead in the 60th minute.

The large travelling support would have been hoping United could comfortably see out the rest of the game but Alloa equalised and then struck again in the 89th minute to take all three points.

It was a devastating blow to United and their promotion hopes, with Booth admitting the next two home matches, against Partick and Dunfermline, are in the must-win category.

The defender said: “I am devastated really.

“We had a lot of play and put a lot of balls into their box and when we went 1-0 up, I hoped we would have enough to see the game out or maybe get another one to kill Alloa off as they are always hard to break down.

“You really need a 2-0 lead to put the game to bed.

“It was not good enough the last 20 minutes and we are devastated to lose.

“Not to be able to hold on when we were 1-0 up is disappointing and it is not good enough.

“I haven’t scored in two years so it was good to get a goal but it didn’t count for anything unfortunately – not even a point. At the end of the day we have lost.

“So we need to get back to winning ways and we have two home games now

“Ross County won and there is a little gap opening up – we need to get six points, it is as simple as that to stay in the hunt.”

United boss Robbie Neilson delivered a withering assessment of his team’s performance and promised that the players he believes are not good enough will be heading for the Tannadice exit.

Booth added: “With January just around the corner we will see what the gaffer’s plans are.

“It is up to us any time we have the chance to impress, whether it is in training or in games, that we give it our all to try to be in the manager’s plans because it is a big club, he is a really good manager and everyone wants to stay – it is down to us.”

When asked if the players had been told they were playing for their futures after Neilson’s arrival as manager in October, Booth said: “Not really. I think you are getting judged all the time especially when a new manager comes in.

“It is first impressions and stuff but he has been in the door a couple of months now.

“I think you are always playing for your future. Football is such a crazy industry that one minute you can be in the team and the next you can be leaving a club.

“So you are always playing for your future and it is no different here.”

The Tangerines had the majority of possession in the first half but struggled to break down a well-organised and disciplined home side.

The extremely narrow dimensions of the pitch at the Indodrill Stadium certainly did not help United. However, the visitors did come agonisingly close to opening the scoring in the 39th minute when a Craig Curran header hit the post.

United did finally break the deadlock on the hour mark – and what a goal it was.

Pavol Safranko was fouled on the edge of the Alloa box. Booth stepped up to take the free-kick and struck it with deadly precision into the top corner of home keeper Neil Parry’s net for his first goal for the club.

The Tangerines looked to be in full control of the game but they were stunned in the 73rd minute when the Wasps equalised.

Steven Hetherington hit a deep freekick into the United box and Andy Graham rose high to send a looping header into the back of the net.

Neilson’s men tried to find a dramatic late winner and probably should have done so in the 86th minute. Booth played in a superb cross from the left only for sub Fraser Aird to send a free header wide when he should have at least hit the target.

United were left to rue that missed opportunity just three minutes later when Dario Zanatta embarked on a barnstorming run into the visitors’ box before calmly sending a low shot beyond Tangerines keeper Benjamin Siegrist.