Morton revel as Laszlo fumes
DIRE Dundee United’s title hopes were left in tatters last night after they suffered another humiliating result in their ailing quest to get back to the Premiership.
Csaba Laszlo’s flops surrendered in pitiful fashion to sixth-placed Morton, who ran amok.
The toiling Taysiders now find themselves in free fall and 11 points behind Championship leaders St Mirren, who won away to Dunfermline on Friday night.
For two hours after the final whistle, Laszlo was still locked in private talks with his players —who were booed off the field — and refused to speak to the media.
Just when it was their turn to exude character, United failed miserably, despite the magnitude of what was at stake just weeks after an embarrassing 6-1 defeat at the hands of Falkirk.
Any notion of them now securing an automatic route back to the top division seems fanciful, while they stare at the prospect of yet another round of dreaded play-offs having lost out at that stage last season.
By the time Jack Iredale’s 80th-minute solo effort had bulged Harry Lewis’s net, there was a mass exodus among the home support who had already suffered seeing goals from Thomas O’Ware and Scott Tiffoney put the free-flowing visitors in command.
There are still 13 fixtures left and the Taysiders have a game in hand over St Mirren, but there are precious few signs to suggest they have either the ability or stomach to attempt to rescue things.
Morton soon dictated the play and had the ball in the net in the third minute when Gary Oliver headed home Frank Ross’s cross, but he was deemed to be offside.
The hosts’ worst fears were realised in 35 minutes. Michael Tidser’s curling free-kick was left by the United defence and O’Ware rose to head down past Lewis.
It could have been even worse three minutes before the break. This time Ross saw his header from James Doyle’s cross gathered by Lewis at the second attempt as another almighty gasp went around Tannadice.
Within two minutes of the restart, disaster struck for the Tangerines. Tiffoney shrugged off Paul Quinn before striking an unstoppable effort which dipped over Lewis and into the net.
Morton made it 3-0 in with ten minutes left. Iredale danced easily past four opponents before burying a sweet, left-foot shot into the far corner.
Visiting manager Jim Duffy savoured Morton’s first league win at Tannadice in 40 years.
‘We’re absolutely thrilled,’ he said. ‘Every single player put in an incredible effort.
‘It’s some achievement to come to a place like Tannadice and win so comprehensively, especially for the first time in a long while.
‘We scored some outstanding goals and you don’t get too many results like this over the course of the season. This was a top-class performance.
‘Every player has got to be on the top of their game and that was the case here.
‘From the goalkeeper right through to the boys who came off the bench, their attitude and desire to win the game was different class. We played some terrific football as well so I couldn’t be happier overall.
‘Our front two strikers set the tone. They chased and harried and allowed everyone else to back it up.
‘If your front players are lazy, it allows the opposition to dictate the game but ours were exceptional and that was the key for us.’