The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Bairns fans’ celebrations premature, warns Flood
United midfielder optimistic ahead of second leg despite drawing at Tannadice
Dundee United midfielder Willo Flood has warned the celebrating Falkirk fans that nothing has been won yet.
The Tangerines could only draw 2-2 with the Bairns in the first leg of their Premiership play-off semi-final at Tannadice on Tuesday.
Simon Murray gave them a great start with a goal after only 16 minutes but they were pegged back by James Craigen’s volley.
Blair Spittal then put United 2-1 up on 53 minutes, only for the visitors to level again through Joe McKee’s freekick.
That left Peter Houston’s men as favourites to go through in the return clash at the Falkirk Stadium tomorrow night.
Flood noticed that when the final whistle blew on Tuesday the away supporters in the Jim McLean Fair Play Stand cheered as if they felt it was job done by their players.
However, the wee Irishman feels those celebratory scenes may have been just a little premature.
Flood said: “Falkirk will be confident and their fans were giving it a bit after the game like they’ve won it. They will believe they have the upper hand but we believe we can go there and win.
“So let’s see what happens on Friday.
“I think it’s still even, although we shot ourselves in the foot because when we went ahead we were in control of the game. We gave away two soft goals and didn’t take advantage.
“It was disappointing to go ahead, especially with the second one, and not hold onto it for a while longer.
“I think if we had managed to keep them out for a few more minutes things might have been different.
“To be fair, I felt we passed the ball a bit better in the second half because we didn’t get into a proper rhythm in the first half and they were probably the better team. We have enough about us to go there and win the game.
“I felt our front two (Murray and Thomas Mikkelsen) caused them problems and Blair is on fire right now in front of goal.
“What we need to do is make sure we shut up shop because when we played Falkirk down there earlier in the season we gave away bad goals early on.
“You can’t afford to give a team like Falkirk a lift because they are a good side.
“So we have to keep it tight and be solid for the first 20 minutes then hopefully our flair players can win us the game.”
The play-off saga is undoubtedly testing the United players, both mentally and physically.
Flood revealed that, as part of their recovery work, they have been taking a dip in the chilly North Sea close to their St Andrews training base.
He said: “We have been going to the beach as part of our recovery.
“We have been in the water for 10 to 15 minutes to help the muscles. The weather has been decent lately but it’s still the North Sea. Going in the water helps and you feel better after it.
“Hopefully nobody will get washed away! After we have been in we then have a massage. We have two masseurs in and their hands are going to be sore with the amount of work they are having to do. “But I think fitness-wise we are OK. “The boys are looking sharp and we have enough legs about us.
“The games come around so quick and I think that whoever thought playing on Tuesday and Friday was a good idea obviously has never kicked a ball.
“This is mental – the schedule is really tough but we will just keep going. We will be ready to go on Friday and there are no excuses.”
United will be without Stewart Murdoch tomorrow, with the right-back tearing a muscle in his groin early in Tuesday’s match.
The Tangerines have now sold out their ticket alloaction for tomorrow night’s return leg at Falkirk.