WE’RE ROAD READY
Clark backs United after Highland win
THEY were portrayed as just powder-puff homebodies with no stomach for the road. But Nicky Clark, Dundee United’s pivotal performer and goalscorer, reckons their display in the Highlands will have silenced the critics.
In fairness consecutive defeats at Ayr, Alloa and Queen of the South – the third a 4-0 battering – raised valid doubts as to United’s mettle away from Tannadice.
Former Rangers striker Clark though feels ready for Friday night’s shortest away trip of the season after bouncing back in style on the second longest.
The 28-year-old said: “We had a few poor performances away from home and we knew this was a big week for us with three games.
“We’ve shown what we’re all about – that’s three wins and three clean sheets in seven days. All in all it’s been a good week. This is always a hard place to come, especially in tough conditions.
“The boys at the back were excellent, especially Paul Watson who has been great since he came back in. We were excellent. It’s a massive three points.
“Our physical side of things had been questioned, rightly so, because of the results we had. We proved a point.”
For Inverness, this was a galling defeat, seeing them slip seven points behind the leaders after dropping eight points in the last four games. It was also the fifth straight beating by United – and the third by a three-goal margin, including two Championship play-off defeats last season.
There were fine margins at play, given the opening own goal from Shaun Rooney and Lawrence Shankland’s lucky escape from a red card after an elbow on Jamie McCart.
At 1-0 up United saw keeper Benjamin Siegrist pull off a fine pointblank save from James Keatings.
United also survived a major second-half scare as Keatings missed a clear header right before Clark stormed forward to grab the second.
But overall United still looked like deserved winners.
Clark said: “The game was in the balance at 1-0 – and anything can happen.
“When Butch slipped me in I just tried to make sure I hit the target and I was delighted when it went in. The goal came at a great time for us.
“After that we could relax a bit and play, then we got the penalty. I gave it to Shanks because I’d already scored!”
Clark is raring to go for the televised Dundee derby, with the Dens Park hosts on a three-game winning run.
He said: “We saw bits of their Friday win at the hotel and they’ve had good results. They will want to make a statement after the last derby when we won 6-2.
“We know it will be tough and we have to be 100 per cent ready, but we’re really looking forward to it. We’re at the top, that’s where we want to stay.”
In battering rain United found their stride first and were ahead after 20 minutes.
Paul McMullan’s cross was heading for the prowling Clark and Shankland before Rooney stabbed into the roof of the net off the woodwork.
A minute later the hosts were raging at that Shankland elbow on McCart.
A pair of Mark Ridgers saves from Ian Harkes and Butcher kept Caley in the game early in the second half before disaster struck the home side.
They passed up a big chance after 70 minutes, with Tom Walsh’s cross finding Keatings who could only head over.
Within seconds United were two goals clear. The defence backed off as Harkes threaded the ball forward and Clark smashed in.
Ridgers then had no chance from the spot as Shankland inflicted the final damage after Miles Storey fouled Liam Smith.
Caley winger Walsh said: “We’ve had five minutes where it all went wrong, the scoreline probably looks a lot worse than it should have.”