Five-star United in control of title duel
KAI FOTHERINGHAM scored twice to help keep Dundee United four points clear at the top of the cinch Championship with a 5-0 victory at Queen’s Park.
Jim Goodwin’s side dominated proceedings from the off but had to wait until the stroke of half-time to take the lead and it was Fotheringham who made the difference, stroking home Tony Watt’s cross.
Louis Moult doubled the visitors’ advantage when he raced through and lifted the ball over Spiders goalkeeper Calum Ferrie in the 55th minute.
United put the result beyond doubt on the hour mark when Ross Graham met Miller Thomson’s corner and headed home.
Fotheringham poked home a fourth in the 64th minute and Craig Sibbald made it five a few minutes later with a fierce strike.
The win kept Goodwin’s side in pole position of the title race but Raith Rovers are still hot on their heels after grinding out a 2-1 victory at home to Scott Brown’s Ayr United.
Dylan Easton celebrated his 30th birthday in style by netting the opener on the stroke of half-time, curling an effort into the top corner from the edge of box.
Ayr equalised 10 minutes after half-time when substitute Logan Chalmers struck.
But Jack Hamilton restored Raith’s lead in the 65th minute, keeping his cool to score from the penalty spot after Mark McKenzie committed a foul in the box, to leave Rovers four points behind Dundee United with a game in hand.
Elsewhere in the Championship, Airdrieonians boosted their play-off ambitions with a comfortable 3-1 home victory over fellow hopefuls Morton.
Nikolay Todorov gave the hosts a fast start with his 11th goal of the season when he fired into the top-left corner past Ryan Mullen inside a minute.
Airdrie doubled their advantage through Charlie Telfer’s composed finish in the 15th minute before Mason Hancock all but sealed the three points by heading home from a corner with 22 minutes remaining.
Michael Garrity grabbed a consolation for the visitors when he converted Jai Quitongo’s cross in the 73rd minute.
Third-placed Partick Thistle drew 1-1 at Dunfermline. Brian Graham broke the deadlock in the 25th minute as the ball fell kindly to the 36-year-old striker, following Scott Robinson’s initial blocked effort, and managed to bundle over the line.
Dunfermline replied, however, with 12 minutes remaining when Chris Kane was brought down by Aaron Muirhead in the penalty area and the striker picked himself up to send David Mitchell the wrong way.
In the battle between the bottom two, ninth-placed Inverness Caley Thistle edged out ten-man Arbroath 2-1. Wallace Duffy and Alex Samuel scored either side of Leighton McIntosh’s effort. Inverness are just a point behind eighth-placed Queen’s Park.