Positive signs for United but Brown has last laugh
Fleetwood boss earns win over former rivals
SCOTT BROWN’S ability to frustrate his foes — and friends — in Scottish football has now extended to the early days of what is sure to be a most watchable managerial career.
The Celtic legend and Fleetwood Town boss saw a superior Dundee United side fight back with an equalising goal from his former team-mate Charlie Mulgrew.
Brown could have had few complaints if the visitors had progressed from that leveller, midway through the second half, to record a friendly success at Highbury Stadium.
However, after grinning at the mocking chants from the travelling support, it was he who enjoyed a late laugh.
One week out from his competitive bow as a boss at Port Vale in his League One season opener, Brown celebrated a morale-boosting victory thanks to Josh Vela’s winner a minute from time.
Yet his opposite number, Jack Ross, was hardly rankled by the rub of the green he dealt United.
On the contrary, Ross stressed that United’s performance had taken them a significant stride forward ahead of their Premiership start at Kilmarnock.
The Tannadice manager was delighted with a display in which Steven Fletcher and Dylan Levitt showcased their well-being and undoubted class following training setbacks in pre-season.
‘For large parts we were really good,’ said Ross. ‘We controlled it, created opportunities.
‘I’m not happy for losing the game but, performance-wise, this is a big step forward again.
‘Results aren’t that significant in pre-season but performances are. And we’ve had gradual improvement in our performances.’
Former Scotland striker Fletcher was quality leading the line and linking the play for an hour.
All the trademark deft touches remain very much intact. There is clear promise of plenty more to follow once fully match fit from a disrupted preparation.
Keeping the 35-year-old free from injury should bring a big dividend for United this season.
While a bit light in squad depth for a long slog ahead, particularly in attack, Ross could add to his squad before the league action begins.
‘We were running out of games a bit to get them minutes, so it was nice to get Fletcher and Dylan on the pitch,’ said Ross.
‘Fletch is fit, in general, he looks after himself. That’s why he’s had the longevity of career and played a lot of Championship games last year.
‘We showed a creative edge for large spells. Fletch will help that because he’s a focal point.
‘In terms of the whole season, we are short of where we ideally want to be. But we still have potential to strengthen again this week.’
The veteran striker was unfortunate in front of goal, spurning a couple of first-half opportunities. However, the superb control and swivel he offered Liam Smith’s delivery for the second of those was a great teaser of the experienced talent United have snapped up.
After Craig Sibbald was tripped up to award United a free-kick, Fletcher immediately seized on the chance. His dipping dead ball cleared the crossbar by just a few inches.
New Australian signing Mark Birighitti saved twice smartly from Shayden Morris but was forgiven for having no answer as Fleetwood broke the deadlock three minutes before half-time.
The keeper scrambled to his right to prevent an own goal but Fleetwood kept United camped in.
Dan Batty’s drive from 20 yards took at least one unfriendly brush off a body in the penalty box for United before squirming in off the woodwork beyond the unsighted Birighitti.
Fletcher had a penalty claim rejected early in the second half when 10 yards out and on the brink of pulling the trigger.
The anger on the visiting bench would have been greater within a minute were it not for Birighitti’s splendid double save from Ellis Harrison as Fleetwood tried to punish United on the break.
Nicky Clark, Ilmari Niskanen and Kieran Freeman were the first trio from six subs introduced before United earned their fully merited leveller.
From a corner, American midfielder Ian Harkes cleverly knocked down the ball to visiting skipper Mulgrew, who curled home a composed right-foot finish from 14 yards.
United continued to look more likely to prevail late on but their hosts burgled the victory.
Cian Hayes enjoyed too easy a passage through the middle of the park, enabling the substitute to lace an assist through for captain Vela.
The former Hibernian midfielder, signed from Shrewsbury in the summer, powered home a left-foot finish to win the match.