The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
United’s Fraser targeting trophy double
Eyes on league title after booking place in cup final
QUEEN OF THE SOUTH 2 DUNDEE UNITED 3
Scott Fraser says Dundee United will continue fighting on two fronts as they bid to clinch a league-and-cup double.
The Tangerines midfielder is looking forward to the Irn-Bru Cup final with St Mirren next month after victory over Queen of the South at Palmerston on Saturday night.
But Tannadice talent Fraser also fancies his side’s chances of reeling in Championship leaders Hibernian and winning promotion back to the Premiership following last season’s relegation.
Ray McKinnon’s side are seven points behind the Hibees, who drew 1-1 with Raith on Saturday, with 12 games left.
Fraser sees no reason why United can’t wipe out that advantage and ensure their season has a dream ending with plenty of silverware in the cabinet.
He said: “It’s good to be in a cup final. It’s something we’re looking forward to and it was good to get the win.
“It was something the gaffer emphasised at the start of the season that this was a competition he wanted us to go and win.
“As a player, you want to win any competition you enter.
“We believe they (Hibs) can still be caught. There will be many twists and turns and I think they were even more points ahead of us at one stage.
“We will continue to work hard and continue to get better.”
United bounced back from a miserable 3-0 defeat to Falkirk which made it a run of just one win in seven games since Hogmanay.
Fraser revealed the squad had a meeting among themselves and with the coaching staff in a bid to sort things out and inspire a return to winning ways.
“We wanted to bounce back from the performance we gave at Falkirk last week which wasn’t acceptable,” he said. “We knew that.
“We had a hard week’s training and worked on a lot of things. Getting off to a fast start was something we emphasised as we didn’t think they’d be able to handle us.
“The mood wasn’t great at the start of the week but we had a meeting about it and spoke about it amongst ourselves; what we need to improve on.
“I think in spells of the match we did that but we still feel a need to improve and I think we will.
“The players had a meeting but we also had one with the coaching staff. It wasn’t anything drastic or major, it was something that had to be done.
“I’m sure that it happens at a lot of clubs, even when they’re doing well. It’s a chance for senior players and younger players if they have something to say.
“There is an understanding of each other and we can speak about things. Thankfully we’ve managed to get the win.”
United took the lead in the third minute when Charlie Telfer capitalised on poor defending and beat keeper Lee Robinson with a low strike.
It was soon 2-0 after Andy Dowie and Chris Higgins made a mess of clearing the danger with Fraser in the right place to apply the finishing touch.
Darren Brownlie headed wide at the other end from Stephen Dobbie’s corner
as the home side searched for a way back into the game but they conceded again before the break.
Striker Simon Murray laid the ball back for French forward Tony Andreu who curled his 14th goal of the season into the top corner of the net.
However, Queens came out in the second half with renewed vigour and made it 3-1 when Dobbie’s powerful drive flew past keeper Luis Zwick.
They should have reduced the deficit further when full-back Jordan Marshall’s run into the box ended with a cross which missed everyone and rolled into the path of Dom Thomas.
The on-loan Motherwell winger’s shot was blocked but not cleared by United and Dobbie somehow blasted the loose ball over from six yards.
It was an opportunity missed which took the wind out of Queens’ sails and Fraser could have made sure for United but was denied twice at the near post by Robinson late-on.
The Doonhamers would not go quietly, however, and ensured a nervy injury-time period for McKinnon’s team when Derek Lyle slotted home but it was too little, too late, although referee Nick Walsh’s final whistle came as a relief for United.
Fraser added: “We obviously found ourselves 3-0 up and from there we should have just seen the game out. We spoke about controlling the game at half-time.
“I don’t think we did that at all and played anywhere near as well as we can but thankfully we got the three goals in the first half and that was just about enough to see us through.”
Boss McKinnon said: “Getting through was the main objective so we’re pleased with that but our second-half performance was disappointing.”
Doonhamers manager Gary Naysmith said: “Our defending wasn’t good enough for the first two goals and that is what cost us.”