A SPOT OF RELIEF
Mckay’s late penalty lifts Tannadice strugglers
SOME players don’t take too well to criticism these days, but Dundee United responded perfectly to manager Mixu Paatelainen’s fierce verbal swipes by stopping the rot with only their second league win so far of this troubled campaign.
After the Finn described last week’s performance in the 5-0 drubbing at Celtic as ‘absolute rubbish’, all eyes were on the United players to see what kind of reaction they would offer against high-flying Ross County.
And the bottom-of-the-table side rallied to triumph in the end, courtesy of Billy Mckay’s 81stminute penalty, which ended any possibility of a fifth straight defeat and moved United to within two points of second-bottom Partick Thistle.
Even the injury-time dismissal of substitute Aidan Connolly failed to dampen the home side’s spirits.
It meant Paatelainen savoured his first win since replacing departed manager Jackie McNamara earlier last month.
The former Hibs, Kilmarnock and Finland boss brought in 22-year-old Pole Michal Szromnik to replace Luis Zwick in goal following last Sunday’s Parkhead roasting.
Szromnik had played only a handful of games under McNamara, but he was considered a better option as United attempted to shore up their rocky defence.
Paatelainen’s men had a point to prove and they began brightly, with Aaron Kuhl releasing Adam Taggart, but the on-loan Fulham striker was ruled offside as he prepared to run through on Gary Woods’ goal.
The home fans were in desperate need of a lift , but it was County who threatened next when Martin Woods’ cross picked out Craig Curran. He turned neatly inside the box, but his effort was blocked by home defender Ryan McGowan.
Midway through the first half, former United player Michael Gardyne sent in a speculative cross on the turn, which caused more panic than it should have done in the United defence, and Szromnik was relieved to see it clear his far post. However, there were more positive signs for the Tannadice strugglers, who, in 23 minutes, put together a slick move, which deserved a better pay-off.
Mckay laid the ball off to John Rankin and his pass over the top picked out Taggart, who knocked it down to Scott Fraser.
The United supporters behind Woods’ goal rose in anticipation of the opener but, at the vital moment, Fraser couldn’t take the ball on the run and the chance was gone.
Then, in 28 minutes, United appealed for a penalty when Mckay’s shot from 20-yards appeared to come off the hand of County full-back Ricky Foster.
As the hosts claimed for hand-ball, referee Don Robertson dismissed their appeals much to Paatelainen’s annoyance on the touchline.
Soon after, Fraser’s curling freekick into the six-yard area was headed on by Jackson Irvine, only for Woods to somehow deny what looked like a certain own goal as he dived to claw away the ball from close range.
County had disappeared in an attacking sense, although a minute before the break, Tony Dingwall tried his luck with a long-range effort which swerved viciously in the air, prompting Szromnik to tip the ball over his crossbar.
After a promising first half, United came out in a similar manner at the restart and Taggart fired a low shot just past Woods’ far post.
County suffered a setback in 53 minutes when Andrew Davies was stretchered off as a result of a head knock following a mid-air collision with McGowan.
There was a feeling that United could live to regret their missed chances, especially when John Souttar spurned a golden opportunity in 55 minutes.
He latched on to Sean Dillon’s cross, but failed to keep his effort down and it sailed high over the bar.
County, in a rare foray forward, had a 64th-minute chance through Scott Boyd’s free header from Martin Woods’ cross, but the substitute headed over the bar.
United finally got their reward for their effort with nine minutes remaining. Martin Woods was rightly penalised for a rash foul on Fraser and referee Robertson awarded the spot-kick.
On-loan Wigan Atheltic striker Mckay stepped up to calmly send Gary Woods the wrong way from the spot.
Martin Woods almost redeemed himself with a 30-yard drive which skimmed Szromnik’s bar minutes later.
But United held out despite having Connolly ordered off for a second booking in injury time following a foul on Gardyne.