Mcnamara awaits a change of luck, while Hughes rues missed chances
DUNDEE United manager Jackie Mcnamara believes their luck will change after they again failed to fully capitalise on pressure during their 1-1 home draw against Inverness.
United experienced yet more problems trying to kill off the opposition as Josh Meekings produced a 56th-minute header which cancelled out Billy Mckay’s sixth-minute opener against his former club.
It was like the previous weekend all over again when they passed up numerous chances only to lose 2-1 late on to Kilmarnock, as this time they could not find a way to see off Caley Thistle.
United have still to win a home game in the Ladbrokes Premiership but Mcnamara is refusing to lose faith in his current crop of players.
United next welcome League 1 Dunfermline to Tannadice for tomorrow night’s third-round League Cup tie as the Fifers look to add to the 41 goals they have scored so far this season.
However, Mcnamara believes that his team will soon be among the goals too.
“I keep saying that someone will be on the wrong end of a heavy defeat from us,” the United boss said.
“I’ve said it a few times and I stand by that. We’re not doing a lot wrong and we just need to try and do some little things better.
“Looking back at it, we should have had the game sewn up to be honest.
“But unfortunately we didn’t do and that can lead to a nervousness among the players.
“It’s something we’ve experienced before and we just have to deal with it.
“It’s obviously a frustrating time but we just have to move on to the next game.
“I’m sure we’ll get there because I have belief in all the players here and know what they’re capable of.”
Inverness manager John Hughes also thought that his side could have won the game, although he admitted they were well below par in the opening period.
United had lost their previous four games and Hughes felt they let them off the hook.
“We certainly deserved to take something, especially the way we played in the second half, but it was a little too late,” Hughes said.
“We need to start the game. We knew there was a little bit of apprehension here at Tannadice, we could smell it.
“But we shot ourselves in the foot, letting them score early on gave them a lift and something to hold on to. In the first half we never really played, we were second best.
“In the second half we were much improved, a much better team, we dominated the game and could have gone on to win it.
“We had the better chances. But we need to be like that for 90 minutes.”
Hughes handed a league comeback to Richie Foran, who came off the bench in the 83rd minute, and he revealed onloan Charlton Athletic forward Tobi Sho-silva should be fit for tomorrow night’s League Cup game at Livingston after missing the Dundee United match with a knock.