DUNDEE UTD... 0 HAMILTON... 0
RED-CARD RAGE IN PREMIERSHIP PLAY-OFF:
ON a tense, tousy night at Tannadice, Dundee United were left nursing a genuine sense of injustice after being held to a goalless draw by their top-flight visitors in the first leg of the Premiership Play-off final. Home boss Ray McKinnon looked on in anger as star striker Simon Murray — scorer of four goals in his last four matches — was sent off with 13 minutes to go instead of being awarded a second-half penalty after appearing to be fouled in the box.
Having already been correctly booked for diving in the first half under a challenge by Massimo Donati, the 25-year-old was then sent off for the same offence despite TV replays showing he had reached the ball first before being toppled by Accies defender Scott McMann.
But referee Steven McLean, acting upon instruction from assistant Graham Chambers, issued a second yellow card.
United swiftly announced they would be appealing the decision, allowing Murray to play in Sunday’s second leg at the Superseal Stadium.
Up until that controversial moment, the big talking point had been a bout of in-fighting between warring Tannadice team-mates Mark Durnan and Wato Kuate.
Words were exchanged after midfielder Kuate got in the defender’s way as he attempted a clearing header in the second half.
The pair clashed angrily and were spoken to by referee McLean before McKinnon replaced Kuate with Charlie Telfer.
Kuate stormed up the tunnel but not before pushing Durnan in the chest on his way off and remonstrating with a section of United fans. McKinnon later claimed the Cameroonian had played his last game for the club.
Before kick-off, there was an impeccably observed minute’s silence for the victims of Monday’s Manchester bombing.
Any United fans arriving late would not have been surprised to see McKinnon had named the same side that beat Falkirk 2-1 at Westfield last Friday.
There was one change for Accies but it was a huge blow for Martin Canning, with captain Mikey Devlin facing a lengthy spell out after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament during last weekend’s 4-0 home win over Dundee.
In came former Celtic midfielder Donati and he captained the team from the centre of a three-man back line.
The first half proved scrappy and unimpressive, with Hamilton edging it without opening the scoring.
The visitors should have had an early lead when Rakish Bingham scampered down the right before sending over an inviting cross that Danny Redmond somehow failed to reach.
Worse was to follow for Accies when David Templeton’s cut United open with a defencesplitting pass for Bingham.
It was a glorious chance but United were saved when keeper Cammy Bell made an important block with his feet.
At the other end, Murray served a timely reminder of the threat he poses. Cutting in from the right flank, his 20 yarder was saved at his near post by Remi Matthews.
United were struggling to cause Hamilton problems but a horrible mix-up between Donati and Alex Gogic created an opportunity. Matthews was alert, however, and rushed out to the right wing to beat Tony Andreu to the loose ball.
As United tried in vain to lay a glove on Accies, Blair Spittal was lucky to escape injury when he fell over an advertising board.
Murray then did a tumble of his own in the box when running past Donati but was rightly yellow carded by McLean. His foolish fall would come back to haunt him later.
United were first to threaten after the break when Spittal robbed Ali Crawford and fed Murray. But the United striker shot instead of giving the ball back to his on-rushing team-mate. The vexed look on the face of United chairman Stephen Thompson in the directors’ box told its own story.
The red mist then descended as Kuate and Durnan clashed, before Murray received his marching orders.
With no side managing to break the deadlock, an intriguing second leg in Lanarkshire is awaiting on Sunday.
Accies will be hoping to be more clinical on home soil to secure their top-flight status. But United will remain confident of providing the Beautiful Sunday their fans sing about by securing a speedy return to the top flight.