United cruise turns into the harshest of lessons
A GOAL up and utterly dominant against a team reduced to 10 men, Dundee United would have cruised this one out in a Championship setting.
Flag day, however, came with a painful Premiership lesson as St Johnstone proved they retain their street smarts even in the wake of Tommy Wright’s departure.
There was little wrong with the shape or the tempo served up by Micky Mellon on his Scottish football debut but the new United boss will surely allocate some shooting practice as part of this week’s training diet.
Matching Saints, top-six finishers last term, in a 3-5-2 shape, Mellon’s men looked just as accomplished as their guests but, despite gaining a numerical advantage, they struggled to adapt to the new dynamic caused by Michael O’Halloran’s red card.
‘When you go a goal up and the opposition goes to 10 men, you would expect as professionals to see it out,’ said Mellon, who moved north from Tranmere Rovers after the sudden departure of Robbie Neilson to Hearts.
‘It’s the first time we have been in this league for a few years, so it’s a transition. It’s a different level now.’
If Mellon has a hard act to follow in Neilson, then spare a thought for Callum Davidson, passed the torch at McDiarmid Park after the lockdown exit of Tommy Wright.
Undisputed as the club’s most successful manager of all time, Wright departed on his own terms but left a decent set of players in Perth as part of his distinguished legacy.
Although it took them a while to get going here, they showed all of the mettle that’s made them such a force in recent years, with Liam Craig’s terrific equaliser their reward for digging in.
The day started with an act of respect from the visiting players as they formed a line of honour as United emerged from the tunnel to unfurl the flag.
It took them 45 minutes to shed the deferential demeanour and their cause was not helped by O’Halloran’s strangely agitated display.
Not normally a player you would associate with playing on the edge, the former Rangers man expended his energy in all the wrong ways before being sent for a cold shower by Kevin Clancy on the verge of half-time.
Plenty among the United fraternity felt the forward should have seen red for a snappy late challenge on Peter Pawlett but Clancy settled on a yellow, presumably expecting him to calm down.
The benefit of the doubt was given again when he appeared to catch goalkeeper Benjamin Siegrist on the stretch for a through ball but there was simply no option for the referee when O’Halloran caught Calum Butcher late with no pressure to make the tackle.
While there was no contesting the sending off, Saints’ Craig felt aggrieved at his booking after the earlier award of a penalty for United’s opener, slotted away with assurance by Nicky Clark.
The move that saw Pawlett delightfully play through Ian Harkes for the set-up to Liam Smith’s shot was slick but Craig felt powerless to avert his hands which blocked the wing-back’s shot from close range.
Clancy merely followed the rules with his award and United could easily have extended their lead during a vibrant first-half performance.
Jamie Robson drew a fine save from Elliot Parish, while Pawlett and Butcher also went close.
Lawrence Shankland, scorer of 29 goals last term, couldn’t quite find the way to goal but flickered into life just after the break.
After working space for his shot, and neglecting to play in the overlapping Smith, he ought to have scored.
‘Lawrence is not one I am not worried about,’ insisted Mellon. ‘He will score goals, I have no doubt about that.’
United could afford such mis-steps en route to clinching the Championship title but Saints delivered punishment.
Mark Connolly only half dealt with Danny McNamara’s cross and Craig embraced the opportunity to deliver a volleyed finish beyond Parish.
Suddenly the momentum shifted and Mellon was indebted to his goalkeeper Siegrist for keeping out Wotherspoon and then McNamara in quick succession as Saints came on strong.
‘I want to be honest about our performances,’ he added.
‘We couldn’t break down a packed defence.
‘When your opposition goes to 10 men it’s a different ask, we have to learn our lessons from it, be smarter.
‘We have to take the positives away from this such as having a 17-year-old (Lewis Neilson) making his debut.
‘We are all learning lessons. It’s a different level now.’