Flood keen to find cure for away-day struggles

League pressures set aside for a week

Dundee United captain Willo Flood admits his team “got out of jail” the last time they played Alloa.

The Tangerines head down to the Indodrill Stadium – or Recreation Park if you are old school – hoping to avoid becoming the story of the William Hill Scottish Cup fourth round.

Looking on the bright side, today’s tie is an ideal opportunity to put the pressure of the Championship promotion race to one side and enjoy a comfortable win over a part-time team from League One.

That is certainly how Csaba Laszlo’s players should view the fixture but Flood warned that the Wasps will sting if United play as badly as they did in the home Irn-Bru Cup clash on September 2.

Flood may have scored a dramatic late goal that day in a 3-1 victory but he felt the scoreline really flattered his side.

The Irishman said: “We played Alloa early in the season in the Irn-Bru Cup and, you know what, they were the better team on the day. We got out of jail.

“We beat them 3-1 but I played in that game and we were poor on the day.

“They were better than us. If we play like that again then they will beat us down there. So we need to make sure that we are firing on all cylinders and get into the next round.

“A cup run is good for the fans and players, as well as helping the club financially. The main thing for us is the league but a cup run can be a nice little thing to help the confidence.”

In order to be in the draw, which will take place after tomorrow’s Hearts v Hibs clash at Tynecastle, Flood admits that they will have to sort out something that has dogged them all the time they have been down a division – their poor away form.

He said: “At home we look a really good side, dominate games and look like scoring a lot of goals.

“Away from home, for some reason, we don’t really have that zip about us.

“I don’t know whether that is a confidence thing or just that, when you are away, teams come at you more.

“Maybe we should sit in and be solid for a little bit longer and then hit them on the counter-attack.

“It was also like this last season. “For some reason we turn up a lot better at home than we do away.

“We need to stop that being the case and get good results both at our own place and elsewhere.”

Following what will forever be known as that infamous Falkirk defeat, United at least showed some character to draw 0-0 at Dunfermline last Saturday.

Flood, who played right-back against the Pars, is hoping the cup can provide some welcome relief from a pressurepacked league season.

Asked if it was nice to get a break from the promotion battle, Flood replied: “Yes, it probably is at the moment.

“I think we are struggling to get bodies and have just not been hitting form over the last few weeks.

“We have been struggling to get a pattern to our play, with having some of the boys missing and having others coming in. We need time to gel but we must be sharp about it and do that as soon as possible.

“For example, losing someone like Scott (Fraser) is going to affect any team because of the quality he has in the final third. He wins you games.

“What we need now is for other people to stand up and be counted, especially the front four that we have.

“We need one or two of them to start firing on all cylinders and grab the game by the scruff of the neck.

“People are pointing out that we are eight points behind St Mirren but if we win the game in hand then it’s five and we also play them at Tannadice where, as I have said, we are strong.

“We need to get wins on the board and push St Mirren all the way. I am sure, with the quality players we have here, that we can do that.”