The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
County left stunned by a rampant United side
Adams angry as referee ignores penalty appeals
A shellshocked Ross County were ripped apart by an impressive Dundee United at Victoria Park yesterday.
The Staggies were undone by a first-half treble from United and, while the home side had a strong penalty claim and hit the woodwork twice in the same period, the Tangerines were well worth their victory.
County restored some pride with two late goals but defensively the Staggies were woeful and the defeat leaves them in ninth place in what has been an erratic start to the campaign.
County manager Derek Adams stuck by the same starting 11 which earned a point at Hibernian in their last outing while his United counterpart Jackie McNamara opted for pace in his attack with the interchangeable Ryan Gauld, Nadir Ciftci, Gary MackaySteven and Stuart Armstrong given freedom to swap flanks when they were on the attack. Loan signing David Goodwillie was named among the substitutes.
The visitors came close to taking the lead as early as the third minute when
“The incident brought a much-needed spark to the County play”
Mackay- Steven rolled a short free kick into Ciftci’s path. The attacker’s 20-yard drive was heading for Mark Brown’s top left hand corner but the County goalkeeper matched the fierce effort with a terrific one-handed save to tip the shot over the bar.
It was a bright start from McNamara’s side but the home side also had opportunities with Stuart Kettlewell appealing for a penalty after being bundled over by Armstrong before Rocco Quinn tested United goalkeeper Radoslaw Cierzniak with a low drive from the edge of the box.
Mackay- Steven’s pace was causing the Staggies defence problems and it was his determination to chase every long ball which eventually paid off as he beat home goalkeeper Brown in a race to the ball. With Brown committed, the United player was sent sprawling to leave referee Brian Colvin with the easy decision of awarding a penalty. The same player converted the spot kick, sending Brown the wrong way.
Within 90 seconds a sluggish start escalated to a nightmare one as Ryan Gauld released Ciftci who had time to pick out Armstrong with his cross from the right and the United attacker rose to guide a header past the stranded County goalkeeper.
The Staggies were rattled while United’s tails were up. The home side were in need of inspiration from somewhere and Kevin Luckassen’s perseverance should have paid off when he was bundled over in the box by United captain Sean Dillon as he tried to spin his way through on goal.
Unlike the first penalty appeal from the home side, there was little doubt about this claim, but Colvin ignored the appeals, sparking fury in the home dugout and anger among the players.
Had Colvin given it, Dillon would surely have also been sent off and the fact was not lost on captain Richard Brittain who talked himself into the referee’s notebook.
The incident brought a much- needed spark to County’s play and they came even closer with Graham Carey’s excellent free kick touched on to the post by Cierzniak leaving the Tangerines to scramble the ball away under severe pressure.
The Staggies had no option but to push men forward, but there was always the danger gaps would be left for United to exploit and that’s just what happened five minutes before the break as Grant Munro misjudged a long ball. The ball broke to Armstrong who played Gauld through and the United midfielder finished the move in style with a low shot across Brown.
United’s livewire frontline were excellent, but there was no getting away from the fact this was shambolic stuff defensively from the home side.
County hit the woodwork again through Stuart Kettlewell but there was to be no denying United as Gauld split the home defence again in the second half with a through ball which was converted by Ciftci.
Ivan Sproule grabbed a consolation with a deflected effort from Ivan Sproule before Rocco Quinn headed in a second from Carey’s cross to offer a glimmer of hope. But United survived a late rally from the home side to head home with all three points.