The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
United begin pre-season without Gauld and a goal
DUNDEE UNITED began life without £3 million man Ryan Gauld with a goalless draw over Irish side Athlone Town in their first pre-season match.
After a flurry of first-half misses from frontman Brian Graham, the second period did not produce the goods either. Perhaps the drama was elsewhere. It was a lovely summer’s evening in the pleasant surroundings of the central Irish town but playing at the same time as Germany’s World Cup wipeout of Brazil didn’t exactly boost the crowd, with many locals obviously opting to stay in and watch the drama on TV.
Hull City — or anyone else for that matter — had not yet managed to get their hands on Andy Robertson, as the soughtafter Scotland star lined up in his usual left-back position.
Also starting were new recruits Callum Morris, Charlie Telfer and Blair Spittal. On the bench was the club’s trialist Czech defender Jiri Lenko, while Keith Watson missed out after suffering a knock.
In an experimental move, manager Jackie McNamara handed a central midfield role to defender John Souttar, with fellow youngster Darren Petrie and Morris forming the heart of the backline.
The first serious chance fell for United on 12 minutes when a neat ball from Spittal played in Graham but the frontman fired wide. Graham had another go five minutes later, this time his header off a Sean Dillon cross just clearing the bar.
Telfer, looking uncannily Gauldesque at times in terms of build and running style, almost set-up another chance for Graham before Spittal was sent clear only to have his shot saved by advancingAthlone keeper Ryan Coulter on 24 minutes.
The hosts came close on 37 minutes when a dangerous strike from Declan Brennan was deflected over before, right on the stroke of half-time, Graham missed the target again with a shot after being set up by Spittal.
Graham was foiled once more four minutes after the restart when he raced clear only to have his strike easily saved by goalie Coulter.
The Tangerines made a mass substitution on 57 minutes, taking off everyone bar keeper Marc McCallum, Sean Dillon and Morris, leaving Rado Cierzniak as their only unused sub.
Nadir Ciftci did well out on the right flank but his square ball to Ryan Dow was hit into the arms of Coulter.
United youngster Scott Smith looked set to finally break the deadlock on 71 minutes when he danced through the Athlone defence but he couldn’t provide the finish.
McCallum was called into serious action four minutes later when he had to stretch to push a header from Neil Harney over the bar as the home team threatened.
Town sub Kealan Dillon saw his 25-yard strike fly just over with eight minutes left before a Ciftic strike stung the hands of Athlone replacement goalie Dean Mahon.
That was that but, of course, it’s not results that count in these games and it will have proved a worthwhile early exercise for the Tangerines. Attendance: 250 (est). Athlone Town: Coulter, Collins, Dunne, Harney, Brennan, Sweeney, Mulroney, Mulroy, Rocks, O’Connor, Hayes. Subs: Mahon, K. Dillon, O’Brien, Marks, O’Neill, French, Ebbe.
Dundee United: McCallum, S Dillon, Robertson (Lenko 57), Souttar (Paton 57), Morris, Petrie (Armstrong 57), Telfer (Fraser 57), Rankin (Smith 57), Graham (Ciftci 57), Spittal (Dow 57), Erskine (Mackay-Steven 57). Sub not used: Cierzniak.
Referee: John McLoughlin.