Local hero Mochrie seals United promotion dream
Supersub Chris Mochrie was the Dundee United hero as he sealed a dramatic late win against Ayr United that will take the Terrors back to the Premiership.
United are six points clear of nearest challengers Raith Rovers with two games to play but Jim Goodwin’s men possess a 36-goal difference advantage meaning they cannot be caught by the Kirkcaldy outfit.
Rovers had done what they could to prolong the Championship title race by beating Inverness in the Highlands on Friday night to pile the pressure on United but, just when it looked like home nerves were jangling yesterday, local lad Mochrie popped up with his winner against Ayr who had been reduced to 10 men in the second half.
After last season’s painful relegation, it was no surprise to see the United players, coaching staff and fans celebrating wildly at the final whistle.
A delighted United boss Goodwin insisted that, while his side are still to be officially crowned champions, their massive goal difference means the job is done – no matter how hard his team celebrates.
He said: “The players deserve a huge amount of credit for that. Defensively we’ve been solid and scored a huge number of goals and that has put us in the position that we’re in today where we’re able to celebrate.
“Of course, it’s not mathematically impossible and people will still say we need to wait a little while before we can be crowned as champions but, given how well we’ve been defensively, I don’t see us losing that number of goals in the next couple of games regardless of how hard we party over the next few days.”
The hosts had a good opportunity to break the deadlock when Glenn Middleton burst down the left and delivered a tempting cross to the back post but Kai Fotheringham could not direct his downward header on target.
The Honest Men had a chance of their own when Anton Dowds found Kurt Willoughby inside the United box but his shot was deflected wide for a corner.
The Terrors came close when a Craig Sibbald shot from the edge of the Ayr box took a nick and flew just wide of keeper Josh Clarke’s left-hand post.
The Honest Men were the first to threaten after the break but Jamie Murphy’s shot into the turf was held by United keeper Jack Walton.
Ayr were then reduced to 10 men in the 59th minute when Nick McAllister elbowed Middleton in the face with referee Craig Napier flashing a straight red card.
Middleton was quickly back in the action, sending a low cross in from the left but the normally-deadly Moult fired wide at the front post.
Just as home nerves were starting to show, United finally broke the deadlock in the 78th minute.
Sub David Wotherspoon hit a superb cross from the right with Watt powering a header towards goal. Clarke saved but could only parry, with Mochrie on the spot to fire home.
Ayr boss Scott Brown admitted the sending-off was a big turning point.
He said: “For us, it is a very harsh red card. He tried to block him off and whoever it was fell down really quickly. But if you put your elbow up, you give the referee that decision to make.
“But I was proud of my lads today.”