The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
United defender prepared to accept flak after dismal defeat
CHAMPIONSHIP: Smith accepts that players must deal with flak for flop
Liam Smith accepts the Dundee United players will have to take the flak that flies their way after losing to Alloa.
The Tangerines were humbled 1-0 by the part-time Wasps on Friday on a night to forget for the travelling support and TV audience but stayed top of the Championship table as Ayr lost at home to Inverness Caley Thistle the following day.
The Alloa result was all the more surprising in that it followed the 6-0 beating United handed out to Morton just six days earlier and it placed a question mark over Robbie Neilson’s men just when they appeared to be really living up to their title favourites’ tag.
Smith, who was at fault at Alloa’s goal, said: “You don’t have the right to just turn up every week and expect to win the game.
“Last week (against Morton), everyone was on it and we clicked.
“We took plaudits for playing really well and now we have to take the stick we are going to get for not playing so well on Friday.
“There are good teams in this league and Alloa’s position maybe does not reflect how good they are because they played really well against us.
“When we don’t play at our maximum things like that can happen.
“We have had setbacks already in the cup and against Ayr and we have always reacted well.
“There are a couple of weeks between games now and we will be desperate to put right what went wrong. It is disappointing and we need to put it behind us.
“Straight away, we will be looking at Queen of the South and getting three points down there.”