Comment ian roache

In each and every remaining game, Dundee United must play with the same intensity that they showed against St Mirren. What undoubtedly helped the Tangerines get right up for the clash with the Buddies on Tuesday was the understandable desire to stop the opposition players celebrating a title at Tannadice.

There can be few more miserable experiences in football than hearing the sounds of celebration – the beery chants and thumping music – from the dressing room next door.

That was what the United players avoided by showing strength and character to win the match 1-0 thanks to Billy King’s early strike.

There will be no such partypooping motivation in the remaining matches against Falkirk (home), Brechin (away), Queen of the South (away) and Livingston (home).

Of course, there is a big reason to beat the Bairns tomorrow – anyone remember a certain 6-1 doing back in January? – but it is the bigger picture that must make the Tangerines fight for every ball from now on.

This has been a season full of shocking results and terrible performances yet there is still a path to promotion open to them.

If they keep up the tenacious tackles, dogged defending and pacy forward play – all on show against St Mirren – they still have a chance of not just reaching the play-offs but making an impact on them.