The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Cause for optimism at last for United
Neilson’s men denied win by battling Highlanders
DUNDEE UNITED 1 INVERNESS CT 1
This was a win that got away but Tannadice still felt like a more optimistic place when the dust settled.
Dundee United should have beaten Inverness Caley Thistle on Saturday and new manager Robbie Neilson should have been congratulating the players on securing back-to-back victories.
It didn’t turn out that way but whereas negativity has been the homeward bound fan’s companion too often in the past there was still plenty of positivity around at full-time.
The reason for that was a decent attacking display from the Tangerines which did merit more than just Pavol Safranko’s excellent headed opener on 55 minutes.
They couldn’t put the Highlanders away, though, even after the visitors were reduced to 10 men for the final eight minutes following ex-United defender Coll Donaldson’s red card.
It would be churlish not to give ICT credit, though, for their ability to remain unbeaten after what is now 20 league matches.
Some of their tacking was industrial – more of that later – but they are still a decent side and will be there or thereabouts when the play-off places are decided.
All that considered, it was an afternoon that provided plenty of encouragement to go with the understandable frustration.
Neilson said: “I actually really enjoyed the game and thought it was a great one to be involved in.
“I spoke to the players before the match about how they should be coming to Tannadice to enjoy their football. I enjoyed it and the players, although disappointed not to get three points, enjoyed it.
“I think the fans enjoyed it as well. “We have to put a footprint on games because we are Dundee United in the Championship and I think we did that.
“There was a reaction from the crowd and it is reciprocal because if the players show energy, make forward runs and press and tackle people then the fans give them energy back.
“We are getting there but it’s early days yet.
“As a staff we have to keep driving the players on and the players have to keep showing the energy, enthusiasm and workrate we are looking for.
“If we can do that then the fans will be happy to come here and enjoy their football. We won’t win every game – we know that – but what we have to be is competitive in every one.”
Neilson had been greeted by an impressive flag display in the Eddie Thompson Stand as he walked up to the technical area before kick-off – a sign that the supporters were right behind the new regime.
He made only one change to their line-up that started the away win against Partick Thistle, with the injured Paul Watson being replaced by suspension-free Stewart Murdoch.
The first half took an age to get going and the first shot on target arrived on 19 minutes – a low strike from United’s Paul McMullan which was easily gathered by keeper Mark Ridgers.
McMullan then tried to squeeze one in at the far post but it was blocked at close range by ICT defender Sean Welsh.
Good work from Callum Booth on 29 minutes set up McMullan for another shot but it was straight into Ridgers’ arms United were gradually getting the upper hand and Billy King was next to have a pop at goal, with the goalie saving once again.
With 36 minutes on the clock, Tangerines skipper Fraser Fyvie scrambled the ball forward to Safranko in the box and space opened up for the Slovak. However, his strike was blocked.
United should have been ahead by now and it was a similar story for Fraser Aird seconds later when his shot was deflected away.
Aird pulled yet another shot wide when he had options to either side of him then, just as the opener looked certain on 43 minutes, ICT’s Brad McKay intervened to hook McMullan’s cross out for a corner.
Ten minutes later, United missed another golden opportunity when a great cross from the right by Aird was glanced inches past the far post by Safranko.
The home fans in the 5,628 crowd were roaring the Tangerines on and,
finally, saw their team take the lead two minutes later.
It was a beautiful headed goal from Safranko, who rose to meet an Aird corner and placed the ball perfectly to give Ridgers no chance.
Safranko had a chance at the back post three minutes later but he blasted his shot over from close range.
However, United were pegged back on 72 minutes when a Liam Polworth cross caused problems and a looping header beat United keeper Benjamin Siegrist, with Jordan White appearing to get the final touch.
It probably should have been 2-1 to the Highlanders on 79 minutes when White beat the home offside trap but somehow slid his shot wide of the post when in acres of space.
United got a break on 82 minutes when ICT went down to 10 men, with the sending-off of Donaldson for a second booking after he pulled down Safranko.
The better of the late chances fell to the hosts but they just could not find the winner.
ICT manager John Robertson later revealed he would be phoning John Fleming, the SFA’s head of referee operations, to ask why Neilson was allowed to chat to match official Euan Anderson on the pitch after the halftime whistle and at the referee’s room during the interval.
Robertson claimed he sympathised with Neilson’s points about unpunished ICT challenges but thought the United gaffer’s interventions might have influenced Anderson in the second period.
Neilson felt he did nothing wrong, however.
He said: “I thought a few of the tackles on Billy King, Fraser Aird and Paul McMullan were such that they needed a wee bit of protection at times.
“You can’t have a situation where you make a half-turn and then have somebody come through the back of you.
“The laws of the game and the referees are there to protect players.
“There were challenges that were, shall we say, borderline.
“I always think that in these situations a referee has to nip it in the bud early otherwise, as happened here, you get to 70 minutes or so and the cards come out left, right and centre.
“If you say early in the game that it’s not acceptable everybody understands that.
“I spoke to him (the referee) and that’s part and parcel of the game.
“I asked his opinion on certain things. “There was nothing that was really bad or reckless but players have to get some protection.
“I don’t mind if there are tackles and people get the ball but they weren’t getting the ball and our players had to jump out of the way.
“It shouldn’t be our responsibility to have to jump out of the way of tackles like that.”