The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Lacklustre United edge past Lowland champs
ANicky Clark poacher’s effort on the stroke of halftime saw Dundee United edge past Lowland League champions Kelty Hearts in the Betfred Cup.
The low- key affair at Tannadice saw United move level with St Johnstone and Peterhead at the top of Group C ahead of facing the Perth Saints next month.
In i t i a l l y credited to summer signing Ry a n Edwards, the only goal of the game came late in the first period with Clark getting the last touch.
Micky Mellon made three changes from the side that were shocked by Peterhead at the weekend with skipper Mark Reynolds, Nicky Clark and Louis Appere coming in. Out were Liam Smith, Paul McMullan and Cammy Smith.
Barry Ferguson’s Kelty had experienced campaigners Kallum Higginbotham and Michael Tidser in midfield with former United pair Tam Scobbie and Josh Donaldson on the bench.
It was the Lowland League side who made the better start, working the ball into promising positions but without testing Deniz in goal.
The Tangerines were forcing things, trying long balls out to the wing-backs, but 15 minutes in started to find their feet, eventually resulting in a decent effort from range from Ia n Harkes, beaten out by the keeper.
Ma r k Connolly then headed over from a corner before the first real chance fell to Peter Pawlett.
The former Aberdeen man drove down the left, winning a free-kick. Clark’s resulting delivery fell invitingly eight yards out to Pawlett but he saw his drive brilliantly blocked by a flying Kelty defender.
Three mi n u t e s later Calum Butcher smashed a fierce drive just over the bar from 30 yards as the shot count rose.
On the half-hour mark a good drive from Harkes won a free-kick in a dangerous position but Clark saw his effort hit the wall and drop over the bar.
Eight minutes before the break and United were inches away from the lead.
First Clark showed his class by spinning away from his man 30 yards out and testing Darren Jamieson in the Kelty goal with a good low effort.
Then Hi g g i n b o t h a m smashed the ball out for a United corner under no real pressure 30 yards from his own goal.
And from the resulting set-piece, Butcher rose to nod towards the corner only to see his effort hacked off the line.
Eventually the goal came, seconds before the break.
And, after the slow start from the home side it had been coming. The Kelty defence had been throwing themselves in front of everything up to first-half stoppage time.
It was a simple goal that broke through, with Edwards rising highest from a corner, heading down into the ground and finding the roof of the net via Clark’s boot.
On 64 minutes, Butcher rose to meet a Pawlett corner but headed well over under little pressure.
Ten minutes later came the first shot on target in the half as the ball dropped to Clark on the edge of the area but the striker saw his well-struck effort beaten out by the keeper.
With 10 minutes to go the home side had to defend their slender lead with Reynolds dealing with a testing Tidser free-kick under pressure at the back post.
And in stoppage time, former United man Scobbie headed over from a corner.
The home side, though, saw out the game as referee Don Robertson put an end to a poor second half.
United will have to wait until next month to
complete the group stage on November 10 when they face St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park.
With Saints and
Pe t e r h e a d h av i n g tw o matches remaining, Micky Mellon’s men will need a victory in the all-Tayside clash.