Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
United close in swept away by
DOMINANT Dundee United comprehensively dispatched Morton 4-1 last night to take a massive stride towards the Championship title.
Goals from Ross Docherty and Glenn Middleton gave United a comfortable lead at the interval, with Louis Moult and Tony Watt making the game safe after the break against the uncharacteristically porous hosts.
Robbie Muirhead did hit back but it was scant solace for Dougie Imrie’s charges.
The Tangerines now boast a seven-point lead over promotion rivals Raith Rovers, who host Partick Thistle today.
Should the Fifers fail to win, then United will effectively secure the title with a victory over Ayr United at Tannadice next week.
Indeed, if Raith don’t beat the Jags and then lose at Inverness on Friday night, Jim Goodwin’s men will be champions without kicking another ball.
United made just one change to the side that decimated Queen’s Park 5-0 at Hampden, with Liam Grimshaw – Morton’s player of the year last term – replacing Miller Thomson at right-back.
Ton striker George Oakley, scorer of a perfect hat-trick when the sides met at Tannadice in January, was a notable absentee due to a shoulder injury.
The visiting United fans saw the men in black start brightly, with Moult fizzing a dangerous ball across the face of goal that narrowly evaded Middleton, and Jack Baird blocking a Watt drive.
Ross Graham then flashed a header wide of the post after
towering to meet a Middleton delivery.
United finally claimed the lead in the 20th minute.
Moult slipped a pass to Grimshaw after striking the wall with a tame free-kick, and the fullback’s delivery from deep was inchperfect for Docherty to head home from eight yards.
The Tangerines didn’t have long to wait for a second.
More wasteful play from the
hosts surrendered possession to Middleton and, following an exchange of passes with Kai Fotheringham, Watt had the chance to pull the trigger.
However, his scuffed shot fell perfectly at the feet of Middleton to slam beyond Ryan Mullen.
A hopeful effort from Iain Wilson that deflected wide brought a little respite and hope for Imrie’s men, while Muirhead lashed a decent shot just off target.
Mullen comfortably fielded a shot from Watt after a delightful reverse pass from the superb Docherty.
Any doubt over the destination of the points was quashed five minutes into the second half.
More dismal defending allowed Fotheringham to steal into the box and feed Craig Sibbald. The midfielder’s low shot inadvertently found Moult at the back post and he slammed a clinical finish into the roof of the net.
Ton defender Darragh O’Connor and Fotheringham both flashed efforts wide.
Jai Quitongo, rightly booked for diving in the first half, saw a persuasive claim for a penalty kick waved away by referee Graham Grainger as Morton sought a lifeline, hitting the deck under a challenge from the backtracking Sibbald.
But seconds later, Baird inexplicably dallied on the ball when he was the last man, allowing Watt to steal possession and coolly slide a low shot into the bottom corner.
There was some consolation for the hosts when Muirhead instinctively fired beyond Walton after meeting a knockdown in the box.
Fotheringham saw a drive ricochet inches wide following two blocked shots by Watt.
Morton’s final opportunity to spark the most miraculous of comebacks came and went when Lewis McGrattan was denied by Walton.