Hero Durnan has manager’s heart
DUNDEE UNITED manager Ray McKinnon hailed the desire shown by Mark Durnan after the defender scored the crucial goal to beat Falkirk.
The Tannadice men got their reward eight minutes from time when Durnan struck to extend the club’s unbeaten run to six matches.
Victory against the Bairns kept up the pressure on Championship leaders Hibernian, who sit three points clear of secondplaced United.
Durnan returned to the team after suspension and McKinnon praised the desire shown by the defender to secure the points he felt his team were worthy of.
‘We thoroughly deserved to win,’ said McKinnon.
‘We were just hoping we would get the goal. We need to be patient and keep passing.
‘What was Mark doing up the pitch? It was a great finish.
‘He was out for a game and came back in today. I saw this week that he had a desire about him. I knew he was ready to keep playing.
‘He and William (Edjenguele) have done well in the games they have played. There was an opportunity to give that partnership a chance.’
Falkirk came closest to opening the scoring on 13 minutes when John Rankin met Craig Sibbald’s pass, but the ex-United midfielder’s shot sailed narrowly wide.
United responded with Tony Andreu’s shot, which Bairns keeper Danny Rogers pushed clear with both hands.
United almost giftwrapped a goal to Falkirk on the hour mark.
Aaron Muirhead floated a quickly taken free-kick into the box. As United’s Nick van der Velden tried to head the ball back to Cammy Bell, Luke Leahy nipped in behind but could not make enough contact on the ball to divert it beyond the United goalkeeper.
The hosts got their reward eight minutes from time. Durnan started the move that led to Scott Fraser swinging in a cross from the right. Substitute Cammy Smith’s shot was blocked in the box but Durnan fired home the loose ball.
Falkirk boss Peter Houston said: ‘It’s a disappointing day because I thought we were going to get more from the game. We put a lot into the match and I can’t fault my players.’