Johansen’s first for Well means 10-man United sit bottom

Sondre Solholm Johansen was the Motherwell hero as the Steelmen narrowly beat 10-man Dundee United at Tannadice.

Johansen scored what proved to be the only goal of the game in the first half before home striker Tony Watt was shown a straight red card just before the break following a VAR intervention.

The result brought to an end a run of four defeats for Motherwell who are up to sixth while United have lost three in a row and now sit bottom of the table behind Ross County.

United head coach Liam Fox insisted that he was not convinced Watt deserved to see red.

Fox said: “Having seen the footage that the referee and the VAR has seen I could probably say, yes, it is a red card.

“But I have also seen other footage from different sources that maybe cast a wee bit of doubt over it so it is a bit of a contentious issue.

“It was a different angle and I see

Tony Watt is pulling his leg back and there is very, very little contact with the player.

“I am frustrated at that and frustrated that we started the game well and then had a wee spell where we kind of lost our way a wee bit and then lost the player.

“But what I can say and say this honestly, if I get what I got from the players in the second half attitudewise, application and bravery in possession then we will be OK.”

There was an early chance for United in the second minute when Jamie McGrath fired a corner in from the right with home skipper Ryan Edwards rising to head wide.

The Tangerines had another attempt at goal shortly after when Motherwell’s Callum Slattery cleared an Edwards header off his own line with the ball flying to Steven Fletcher who produced a spectacular acrobatic overhead kick that flashed just past the post.

The Steelmen carved out their first opening in the 13th minute when Matthew Penney pounced on a loose United pass before advancing on goal and playing in Connor Shields with the striker’s angled shot being smartly saved by home keeper Mark Birighitti.

Motherwell then passed up a gilt-edged opportunity to take the lead when Kevin van Veen burst down the right before teeing up Shields 10 yards out but the front man blasted over the bar with the goal at his mercy.

However, the Steelmen did break the deadlock in the 22nd minute. Blair Spittal sent a great cross in from the right with Johansen producing a powerful header that Birighitti got a hand to but only succeeded in sending the ball into his net.

Motherwell tails were up with United struggling to recover after going behind.

And the home side’s day got even worse in the 40th minute when they were reduced to 10 men.

Watt went in hard with a high straight-leg challenge on Sean Goss in the middle of the park with the game continuing.

However, once there was a break in play, the VAR David Munro asked referee John Beaton to look at the touchline monitor with the official then walking back on the pitch and flashing a red card at Watt.

United had the first chance of the second half in the 54th minute when McGrath sent a cross in from the left towards Fletcher who teed up sub Ian Harkes but Motherwell keeper Liam Kelly made a strong save at his near post.

The home side continued to press without troubling Kelly further.

Motherwell were also struggling to fashion any chances of note,

sitting on their narrow lead, and celebrating at the final whistle.