Utd stroll Terrors put on quality display to cruise past anxious Doonhamers

PLAYERRATINGS

LAST week, Dundee United gaffer Ray McKinnon made a point of highlighting the character his team has been showing in recent matches.

Wins over St Mirren, Dumbarton and Falkirk that had shot his side up into the Championship promotion race were as much about battling qualities as they were good football.

It was the smart play. After all, last season United’s character had been repeatedly called into question.

It was just a touch ironic, therefore, that Saturday’s thumping win at Queen of the South was, on the surface, all about the quality of football played.

The 4-1 victory was the biggest of the league season so far.

And from the first whistle the Tangerines oozed class as they swept aside the Doonhamers.

Yes the home side were going into this low on confidence after a run of three consecutive defeats and five games without a goal.

From the start it was clear Gavin Skelton’s team were nervy but credit to United for latching on to that and taking a grip on the proceedings from the earliest possible opportunity.

Within five minutes they might have been ahead via a Scott Fraser chance that was the culmination of a quality passing move.

By the 22nd minute, they were two up thanks to excellent headers from Mark Durnan and Tony Andreu.

And, although the home side did pull one back in the dying seconds of the first half, McKinnon’s men came out all guns blazing in the second and secured a most comfortable of victories thanks to further excellent efforts from the outstanding Fraser and Simon Murray.

Indeed, if there could be any criticism of what, in pure footballing terms, was the best display of the season, it was that more goals were not added.

Murray hit a post, Fraser was denied a second by a fine Lee Robinson save and attack after attack looked likely to produce something approaching a cricket score.

So pleasing was United’s sharp and slick passing game, it was easy to forget that the character referred to by the manager in the build-up also played its part.

Because, once the full facts of the game were known, it was clear this was a day when pretty much everything that could have gone wrong did.

Some of the hurdles United had to overcome were apparent. All three of their substitutions were enforced.

Not long after setting up the second goal with a great cross, Paul Dixon was lost with what looks a second serious knee injury since the summer.

The sight of reserve goalie Luis Zwick warming up vigorously at the interval brought a clear warning all wasn’t well with skipper Cammy Bell. Just back from groin surgery, Bell was unable to appear for the second half because of a groin strain.

Later in the proceedings, goal hero Durnan was also taken off, though he should make tomorrow night’s clash with Dunfermline.

Less obvious during the game was the fact a number of players had been feeling unwell over the previous 24 hours or so.

Blair Spittal missed out altogether and French defender William Edgenguele did well to complete the 90 minutes after vomiting in a bucket in the dressing-room during the interval.

So, for as much as this seemed a day when it was the quality of this squad that shone through, that character was there as well.