 Dundee United relieved some of the pressure on manager Gordon Chisholm as goals from Collin Samuel and Barry Robson ensured a 2-1 victory in this rearranged fixture against Dunfermline.
The game was postponed on Saturday when the under-soil heating at Tannadice failed, but the home side justified chairman Eddie Thompson's plea to play the match as soon as possible thanks to Robson's 41st-minute winner from a powerful free-kick. Samuel had earlier opened the scoring in the 25th minute when he latched on to Jim McIntyre's flick-on, but Scott Wilson netted an equaliser five minutes later when he headed in a free-kick from Lee Makel. The home side started in sprightly fashion and seemed eager to test a Dunfermline back line featuring two men seeing their first action for several weeks in the shape of Scott Thomson and Wilson. First to try his luck at goal was Samuel, who neatly controlled a driven clearance from goalkeeper Derek Stillie on the edge of the box, before spinning on the spot to volley just past the post. The striker was then presented with another good opportunity in the 13th minute after a foray into the box from Mark Wilson, but he completely missed the ball courtesy of a fresh air swipe and Greg Shields cleared the danger. However, 12 minutes later the striker more than made up for his earlier faux pas when Stillie's long punt was flicked on by McIntyre and the Trinidadian raced through to clip the ball past the helplessly exposed Allan McGregor. That lead lasted a mere five minutes though as the Tannadice side, who have struggled to hang on to leads all season long, were outdone by a simple set-piece from the Pars. Makel swung a delightful free-kick from 25 yards out into a packed penalty area and Wilson, freshly recovered from a niggling thigh injury, rose highest to power a header across Stillie and into the far corner of the net. United's confidence was visibly shaken in the immediate aftermath of that equaliser and two minutes later, Iain Campbell delivered a pinpoint cross from the left-hand side and Stillie had to produce a fantastic save to block Greg Ross' header from 10 yards out. In the 41st minute, Shields was booked for up-ending the fleet-footed Samuel on the edge of the area, but the Pars' punishment was to be far harsher as Robson smashed the resultant free-kick around the wall and into the bottom left-hand corner. United had obviously learned little from the lacklustre defending they displayed after netting the opener though and once again they took their foot off the gas immediately after scoring. Andy Tod sent Mark Burchill through on goal and while the former Celtic striker's first effort was blocked by Stillie, the ball rebounded off Burchill and was heading in until Mark Wilson managed to hook it off the line. Peter Canero then saw a header from Robson's corner loop up and strike the crossbar in a lively conclusion to the half. The first real bone of contention in the second period arose in the 52nd minute after Stillie appeared to handle the ball a yard out of his box while under pressure from Tod, but referee Steve Conroy looked long and hard at the incident before deciding to wave play on. Six minutes later, a powerful drive from Makel was parried by Stillie, before David McCracken arced a header harmlessly wide of goal after Robson picked him out with a corner. Dunfermline pushed hard for an equaliser in the closing stages and two minutes into injury time, substitute Derek Young was handed the chance to volley in a dramatic equaliser. But his effort bounced and bobbled wide of Stillie's far post and Dunfermline were resigned to another defeat.
Dundee Utd: Stillie, Wilson, McCracken, Ritchie, Archibald, Canero (Duff 68), Kerr, Brebner (Miller 74), Robson (McInnes 83), Samuel, McIntyre.
Subs Not Used: Samson, Kenneth, Fernandez, Goodwillie. Goals: Samuel 25, Robson 41. Dunfermline: McGregor, Scott Wilson, Shields, Labonte, Ross (Craig Wilson 87), Mason, Thomson (Derek Young 66), Makel, Campbell, Burchill (Hunt 69), Tod.
Subs Not Used: Halliwell, Darren Young, McCunnie, Tarachulski. Booked: Shields, Tod. Goals: Scott Wilson 31. Att: 5,889 Ref: S Conroy (Scotland). |
