McKinnon delight as United finally click

DUNDEE UNITED 3 AYR UNITED 0

RAY McKINNON was delighted after watching his Dundee United side beat Ayr United to secure their first league win of the season.

Goals from Simon Murray, Jamie Robson and Willo Flood gave the Tangerines a comfortable home win and their boss was pleased with the performance.

‘It was a good three points and a great first half, some of the football was fantastic so I’m delighted with that,’ said McKinnon.

‘We were a bit sloppy second half but scored a great third goal to kill the game. It’s important to get off the mark and we’ve done that. It’s now about moving forward and trying to keep the performance level as high as possible.’

United started well and almost broke the deadlock on seven minutes when Scott Fraser’s low strike was palmed away by Greg Fleming in the Ayr goal.

Just three minutes later, Fleming produced a brilliant reaction save after Coll Donaldson headed towards goal from a corner.

United’s early pressure paid off after 12 minutes when they took the lead thanks to a penalty. Cammy Smith was clumsily taken down by Jamie Adams inside the area and although Nick van der Velden’s spot-kick was well saved, Murray was quickest to react and nod home the rebound.

United should have doubled their lead before the half-hour mark but Murray could not rise high enough to connect with a fine cross from Robson.

Despite wave after wave of attacks, the hosts were looking susceptible on the counter and almost paid the price for their missed chances 10 minutes before half-time, but a long-range effort from new Ayr signing Gary Harkins was well-saved by Cammy Bell.

As if spooked by the Harkins effort, the Tangerines added a second goal on 38 minutes when Flood’s low cross sparked a scramble in the box before Robson eventually rifled the ball into the net. Harkins blew a great chance to get Ayr back into it on the hour-mark when he blazed miles over from the edge of the box.

And Dundee United made sure of all three points with 15 minutes remaining when substitute Tope Obadeyi did brilliantly down the left to reach the byline and whip a cross into the path of the onrushing Flood to tap in.

Ayr manager Ian McCall said: ‘I thought second half we were the dominant team for most of it and certainly should have got a goal, but we didn’t test their keeper enough.’