Neilson salutes Tangerines’ fans
Dundee United boss Robbie Neilson watched his title favourites come from behind to overcome Alloa – then saluted their fans for sticking by them.
Neilson’s Championship leaders chalked up their sixth straight league victory and eighth win on the trot at Tannadice as goals from Nicky Clark and Louis Appere cancelled out Mark Reynolds’ early own goal.
Neilson, whose side now travel to face Morton in Tuesday’s rearranged game at Cappielow, said: “The big thing was we came back from a bit of adversity.
“I thought the players responded really well and so did the fans.
“They stuck behind the team and got us going again.
“There was no negativity within the stands. It was all positivity.
“That managed to help us through because we’ve been winning games well here up until now.
“When you look back at the end of the season it doesn’t matter whether you win
6-0 or 2-1.
“We created loads of chances but it’s about scoring goals at the end of the day which we did.
“It’s done and dusted now and it’s on to Morton now which will be another tough game.”
The hosts fell behind when Reynold’s back-header from Scott Taggart’s cross left Benjamin Siegrist with no chance.
That gave the Wasps a huge lift and Kevin O’Hara tried his luck with a low left-foot shot which forced Siegrist to smother.
On the stroke of half-time, though, Clark levelled with a clinical 10-yard finish from Jamie Robson’s defence-splitting pass.
Appere, who’d been a thorn in the flesh of the Alloa defence all afternoon, struck within 10 minutes of the restart.
McMullan fed a weighted pass through to Ian Harkes whose ball across the face of the goal was swept home left-footed by Appere at the far post.
Just after the hour mark, United full-back Jamie Robson went on a solo run before curling a right-foot effort off the woodwork.
Alloa refused to give up hope of snatching something but in the end gaffer Grant was frustrated with referee John McKendrick.
Grant, whose side slipped to the foot of the table said: “When you hear the Dundee United fans whistling for the full-time whistle that tells you everything about how we finished.
“For the winning goal, how can Scott Taggart be five yards in front and then Appere ends up five yards in front?
“There’s only one way because he pulls him back. I thought some of the decisions at times were mind-blowing.”
dUNdee UNiTed:
(4-4-2) Siegrist 6, L Smith 7, Watson 6, Reynolds 6, Robson 7, McMullan 8 (Sporle 80,1) Harkes 6, Butcher 6, Stanton 6, Appere 7, Clark 7 (King 88,1). Substitutes not used – Mehmet, Connolly, C Smith, Brown, Shankland.
AlloA ATHleTiC:
MacDonald 8, Taggart 7, Deas 6, Graham 7, Malcolm 6, Hetherington 6 (Buchanan 87,1) Robertson 7, Cawley 6 (Thomson 71, 2) Flannigan 7, O’Hara 6, Trouten 7. Substitutes not used – Henry, Gilhooly, O’Donnell, Gillespie.