The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Tangerines sunk at Rugby Park by Lafferty hat-trick
Tangerines boss hails fledglings as Lafferty steals Rugby Park show
The future is bright, the future is tangerine? Dundee United boss Micky Mellon certainly hopes so after he played a host of youngsters in last night’s 3-0 defeat at Kilmarnock. The result wasn’t what he was after, as United dropped to eighth in the Premiership table and Killie dragged themselves out of the relegation spots, however he was pleased to give youth a chance.
Kerr Smith, 16, and Florent Hoti, 20, got full debuts, while Archie Meekison made his first appearance in tangerine off the bench in the second half.
Mellon was happy with how his fledglings fared as he challenged them to seize their opportunity.
“We’re disappointed to lose any game of football because we’re a team that’s always expected to win and play well,” he said.
“It was an opportunity to give some of the young players a run out because they’ve been knocking at the door. We never did it as a favour; we believe they were ready to come in and make an impact.
“We needed to have a look and see if they can be a part of our future and be the players that move us forward.
“I think they all showed that and they’ll be better for the experience.
“I’m, obviously, disappointed to lose the game but there were a lot of pluses.”
Mellon reserved special praise for Smith as he equipped himself well against Killie hitman Kyle Lafferty, despite the Northern Irish international striker bagging a hattrick on the night.
“It was an outstanding opportunity for him but not just Kerr, young Archie, Flo and Louis Appere as well,” Mellon said.
“You’ve got to remember he’s still a
young boy. We needed to give a run out to other ones to keep things moving forward – Luke Bolton and these kind of guys.
“It’s important when they get the opportunity they take it. We wanted to maintain the integrity of the league and put out a team that we thought could get a result.
“We might’ve made it a bit more difficult for Kilmarnock but you saw the inexperience and the rustiness in the end.”
Appere led the line in the No 9 role, a position he’s not taken often for the
Tangerines this season, and boss Mellon predicts a bright future for the 22-year-old striker.
“Louis did everything that we wanted,” he continued.
“We might’ve got a wee bit closer to him at times and helped him out. He maybe got a wee bit isolated at times but he certainly got a hold of the ball and his work-rate is phenomenal.
“He’s a lad that we really rate and are pleased to have here. We want to keep developing him because he has all the
attributes to be a real top Premiership and Dundee United player.”
Killie boss Tommy Wright said he was delighted with hat-trick hero Lafferty.
He added: “Apart from the fact he told everyone that if we stay up I’m buying him a bulldog. I’ll be doing everything I can to keep him if we stay up.
“I’m sure once we get enough points we’ll be sitting down with him.
“Am I buying him a dog? No chance. But I sense this could be a home for him.”
It had all started so promisingly for United’s young guns but a Kyle Lafferty hattrick proved, sometimes, there is no substitute for experience.
The Kilmarnock hitman bagged a 10-minute firsthalf treble to down the Tangerines and send Tommy Wright’s men closer to Premiership safety.
With bottom side Hamilton losing the Lanarkshire derby to Motherwell earlier in the evening, the Ayrshire men needed no bigger carrot.
Three points moved them five clear of Accies with three games to go and lifted them out of the relegation play-off spot.
St Mirren seeing off Ross County meant the Staggies replaced Killie in 11th, while United dropped to eighth spot headed into a big weekend for the club’s aspirations.
With a view to Sunday’s Scottish Cup quarter-final at Aberdeen, Micky Mellon fielded an experimental line-up showing seven changes.
Youngsters Kerr Smith, 16, and Florent Hoti, 20, made full debuts, while there were also returns to the starting XI for Mark Connolly, who skippered the side, Luke Bolton, Ian Harkes, Jeando Fuchs and Louis Appere.
Mark Reynolds, Ryan Edwards, Calum Butcher, Peter Pawlett, Nicky Clark, Lawrence Shankland and Marc Mcnulty all dropped out from Friday night’s 1-0 cup win at Forfar.
Just two minutes in,
United looked to get at Killie down the right flank in the evening sun at Rugby Park.
Appere’s impressive hold-up work brought Harkes into play as the American sprayed it out wide for an overlapping Liam Smith.
His flashed delivery across the six-yard box was begging to be turned home but there were no takers for the inviting cross.
Lafferty won his side a corner soon after as he saw his speculative effort charged down. However, Killie’s training ground routine from the resultant kick bore no fruit.
Connolly’s head met Hoti’s corner on 12 minutes but the ball looped comfortably into the arms of home keeper Colin Doyle.
At the other end, Connolly was in the way this time, making a crucial block from Chris Burke’s goal-bound daisy-cutter.
Burke’s deep delivery from a free-kick on 18 minutes caused confusion among the United backline as stand-in stopper Deniz fumbled his attempted catch.
However, Kerr Smith was the calm among the chaos, showing composure beyond his years to sweep up the loose ball.
Ross Millen was next to throw the cat among the pigeons as his whipped delivery went abegging with Lafferty lurking.
The Terrors were working hard to regain a foothold, with Mellon’s favourite touchline cry to “pinch” the pitch prompting a tornado of tangerine to swirl around in search of possession and chances.
Captain for the night Connolly performed some heroics at the back to keep the score level approaching the half-hour mark.
United will have hoped Appere’s effort from distance would signal a turn in the tide back in their favour as they won a corner-kick.
However, the reality was very different indeed.
A passionate Mellon was engaging in a war of words with fourth official Gavin Duncan as a Lafferty header trundled wide of Deniz’s left-hand post.
Just after the half-hour mark, however, Northern Irish international Lafferty made no mistake from Millen’s cross as he crashed home a towering header from a matter of yards out.
Three minutes later, Lafferty made it two for him – and Kilmarnock – on the night, once again connecting with a Millen cross but this time calmly stroking home the cutback from the centre of the goal.
When it appeared easier to just clear the ball, United tried to play themselves out of trouble as Fuchs brought down Burke in the box as he tied himself in knots.
Referee Alan Muir pointed to the spot and Lafferty stepped up to send Deniz the wrong way from 12 yards to bag his hat-trick and Killie’s third on 43 minutes.
Shortly after the restart, Mitch Pinnock forced Deniz into a low, stooping save as the hosts looked to put the contest beyond all doubt.
The Tangerines, however, were far more resolute in the second period, holding off an energised and highly-motivated Killie side for the large part.
On the hour mark, Mellon handed another debut to young Archie Meekison, 18, as the midfielder replaced Hoti.
This was all happening while Deniz was down in a heap in the six-yard box after hurting himself in controlling Liam Smith’s rifled back pass.
United’s goalie coach, 43-year-old Neil Alexander, was preparing to enter the fray, but, no doubt much to the former Rangers and Scotland keeper’s relief, his services weren’t required.
Deniz carried on and United continued to look for a way back into the contest.
Adrian Sporle fired over from distance on 64 minutes, while Appere continued to influence proceedings in the No 9 role.
Meekison let loose from 30 yards and wasn’t a million miles away as his shot arrowed narrowly over Doyle’s crossbar.
On 72 minutes, Bolton saw his near-post effort well-saved by Doyle. Shortly after, Harkes scooped over from 20 yards as the Tannadice men looked far sharper.
Deniz was right behind Rory Mckenzie’s bouncing strike two minutes after as Killie came back into proceedings.
With 10 minutes remaining, Fuchs recovered well to block substitute Nicke Kabamba’s effort from the edge of the area.
Heading ever closer to the full-time whistle, Sporle saw his breakaway effort smothered by Doyle before Appere and Sporle again contrived to miss with the goal gaping.
Alan Power volleyed over from nearly 35 yards before Doyle pulled off a top save from Harkes’ curled effort.
Killie held on for an impressive win that lifts them out of the relegation places, with United’s focus now turning to securing themselves a Hampden berth.