The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Renewed hope as Staggies are slain
Dingwall showing boosts United’s bid for survival
This result was only the second-best 3-0 win over Ross County in Dundee United’s history.
Pride of place, of course, belongs to the Scottish Cup final success on a memorable day at Hampden in 2010.
However, should this incredible victory by the Premiership’s bottom club help them beat relegation then it will get its own chapter in their record books. Now, let’s not get carried away here. While there is renewed hope that they can maybe stay in the top flight it is still a massive maybe.
They sit eight points behind secondbottom Kilmarnock, with a game in hand over the Rugby Park club.
Time certainly isn’t on their side, with only 11 league games remaining.
Keep playing like they did in Dingwall on Saturday, however, and United will at least give survival a go.
This was the best performance of Mixu Paateleainen’s time in charge without a doubt.
They rode their luck at times – the hosts hit the woodwork on a couple of occasions – but they always seemed in control of this match and will have enjoyed the long journey back down the road before preparing to play Aberdeen at home on Wednesday night.
United opened the scoring on 10 minutes thanks to captain Paul Paton, who headed down and into the net from a Scott Fraser corner.
It was a brilliantly-timed finish from the midfielder, who was the matchwinner the previous weekend against Hearts.
They went two-up on 71 minutes when Billy Mckay slammed the ball into the net after a fine move started on the left by defender Mark Durnan.
They added another five minutes later when substitute Ryan Dow headed in from close range to have the Highlanders reeling.
There have been a lot of difficult postmatch interviews for manager Paatelainen to endure this season but this time he was entitled to have a smile on his face.
The United boss said: “For a change, we were able to enjoy the last few minutes of the game. “That was a welcome thing for me. “I thought it was a good, fighting performance against a good team.
“I am so pleased with everybody’s efforts.
“To score three goals away from home and also keep a clean sheet is terrific.
“The lads are delighted and were celebrating at full-time there. “It means everything to the boys. “We have had poor days but, thankfully, this was a good day.”
Paatelainen struck a cautious note as regards the possibility of beating the relegation odds, adding: “There is a long way to go.
“We are delighted with this result but we now have a tough home game against Aberdeen on Wednesday.
“We will need the same attitude and application from the players.”
The Tangerines had made two changes to the side that kicked off the victory over the Jam Tarts.
Paul Dixon was promoted from the bench, while Mckay was back up front after being rested against the Tynecastle team.
There was no Guy Demel because of a hamstring injury, while Henri Anier was suspended.
It was also confirmed that Riku Riski’s loan spell had been brought to an early end and he was off back to parent club Rosenborg.
After a quiet start, United took the lead on 10 minutes.
Paton, who had been bobbing and weaving at the edge of the box, suddenly burst forward into space and met Fraser’s corner with his head to give County keeper Scott Fox no chance.
There was a let-off for the visitors on 37 minutes when goalie Eiji Kawashima and Gavin Gunning both failed to deal with a low cross. The ball then hit Coll Donaldson and took a lucky bounce into the Japanese international’s arms.
United continued to press at the other end and, three minutes from half-time, a sequence of balls into the box ended when Paton fired just over from outside the area.
The visitors almost started the second half with a bang, with Mckay’s lob beating keeper Fox and nearly creeping in.
On 55 minutes, United carved County open when they raced down the left. Dixon’s superb cross was met at the back post by Fraser but he couldn’t get enough of a boot on the ball and the danger was cleared.
The Tannadice side brought on Dow for Edward Ofere on 62 minutes, with the big man having put in a real shift.
It was 2-0 United on 71 minutes
To score three goals away from home and also keep a clean sheet is terrific. MIXU PAATELAINEN
following a great move kicked off by defender Durnan of all people.
He took the ball forward, fed Dow, who then played in Fraser. The midfielder cut the ball back across goal and, after County failed to clear, Mckay pounced to fire a shot inside the post.
The United fans behind the goal went wild, the long journey north suddenly all worthwhile.
Fraser came close to making it three just minutes later when his 25-yard shot stung the hands of Fox and flew away for a corner.
From that resultant set-piece the visitors got their goal, with sub Dow heading in from inches out after the ball had spun up after Fox’s brilliant save off Donaldson.
County boss Jim McIntyre – a former Tannadice frontman – accepted that the visitors deserved their comprehensive victory.
He said: “We’ve lost 3-0 – and deservedly so.
“We started the game well enough and lost a really poor goal from the setplay. That really gave United a wee bit of impetus and something to hang onto.
“I think where they were far better than us was in that they played a lot better percentage balls.
“They fought and scrapped for everything.”