Tangerines showed their gritty side at Cappielow – Goodwin

2024-03-06 -

JIM Goodwin praised his Dundee United side for the way they managed the narrow victory over Morton.

The 1-0 win, courtesy of Louis Moult’s 15th goal of the season, edged the Terrors four points clear of Raith Rovers in the Scottish Championship.

Goodwin described it as a “huge three points” after United were required to battle to maintain their first clean sheet in six matches.

Morton had their spell of pressure towards the end but the United rearguard stood firm.

“We knew it wasn’t going to be pretty down here,” said Goodwin.

“The last two games against Morton have been really, really difficult, very competitive.

“I thought my guys stood up to pretty much everything that they had to throw at us.

“I thought my two centrehalves were outstanding, Kevin Holt in particular. I think he won every single aerial ball.

“In the middle of the pitch, we set up with experience in the middle of the park because we knew it was going to be a

dog fight in there and we were going to have to win our battle.

“We did that and I knew the first goal was going to be key tonight.

“That’s the first time in about half a dozen games that we’ve managed to get that first goal.

“Then, to hang in and maintain the clean sheet, it’s a huge three points.”

Goodwin was sitting in the stand for the match, serving a suspension after an accumulation of yellow cards.

It afforded him an excellent view of a wellexecuted Dundee United winner.

“It was a well-worked goal, a really good bit of skill out on the far corner from Tony Watt,” said the United boss.

“He does well to manoeuvre a bit of space to get the delivery into the box.

“Louis Moult’s movement was brilliant from where I was sitting in the director’s box.

“He takes the centre-half in underneath the ball and then spins around into that back space and does great to get the contact on it.”