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 United's home troubles continued when Bank of Scotland Premier League basement club Motherwell left Tannadice with a point courtesy of a gutsy performance in a 1-1 draw. Without a league win on their own turf since March, Craig Brewster's team had striker Noel Hunt to thank for the second-half equaliser which earned a point.
| SPL - Tannadice Park | Attendance: 5,036 |
| | Dundee United | 1 - 1 | Motherwell |
| Noel Hunt (64)
| | Callum Eliot (61)
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Hunt headed home on 64 minutes to cancel out a Calum Elliot effort just four minutes earlier in a poor game. United had gone close early on when Stuart Duff strode forward before striking a low 30-yard shot which Colin Meldrum did well to smother at his right post. Motherwell responded quickly and a raid down the left produced a neat cut-back from Steven McGarry. Home defender Alan Archibald had to hack clear before Keith Lasley could latch on.
The next Well attack saw Richie Foran waste a good opportunity when he blasted a free-kick high over Derek Stillie's bar from 25 yards. There was a scare for the visitors when a 12th-minute Greg Cameron shot took a deflection off team-mate Noel Hunt. Meldrum was caught wrong-footed momentarily, but recovered well to save. Steven Robb attacked dangerously down the United right and found Duff inside the area, but, when he tried to cut the ball back, ex-Tannadice man Jim Paterson was there to clear.
Motherwell spurned a great chance in the 20th minute when Jim Paterson's cross deceived Stillie, but Foran could not get a toe on the ball at the back post. United were doing most of attacking and, when Mark Kerr was fouled by Lasley 22 yards out, it was a chance for Barry Robson to show his dead-ball expertise. Robson's effort, though, clipped the top of the defensive wall and, although the ball went behind for a corner, it came to nothing.
United squandered another good chance when full-back Christian Kalvenes headed wide of the target from a Robson free-kick which was the result of more good work by Robb. The home side continued to press and Meldrum was called on to make his best stop so far when he pushed a Robson 20-yarder away from his right corner. There was a major scare in front of Stillie's goal when he had to race from his line to smother a wayward Robson pass before Foran could make the most of the home skipper's blunder.
The two sides continued to struggle for fluency after the break and when Robson did send over a dangerous cross from the right, Hunt strayed offside and was denied a scoring chance by the assistant referee's flag. The Dundee United skipper was now operating on the right and, in a bid to add potency to his attack, Brewster sent on Craig Conway for Robb after 56 minutes. That almost had an immediate effect, with Robson coming in from his new position and striking a left-foot shot that Meldrum tipped over. Well responded by making an attacking change of their own, on-loan Elliot for Foran, and it produced the opener in the 61st minute. A McGarry effort from 18 yards was brilliant blocked by Stillie, who saved well again from McDonald after he latched on to the rebound.
Elliot was lurking and despite an attempt to block him by Archibald, he forced the ball home from a couple of feet. The lead was short-lived, however, as four minutes later a Duff cross from the right reached Hunt, who headed powerfully past Meldrum for the equaliser. United should have moved ahead on 71 minutes when another Duff cross from the right caused havoc in the penalty area. Hunt could not quite control the ball, but it fell for Cameron just six yards out. It seemed the youngster could not fail to score, but he snatched at his shot and allowed Craigan to block.
The pace had moved up a gear and David Proctor picked up a yellow card for a foul on Elliot. From the resulting free-kick, Brian Kerr picked out McDonald, whose glancing header just flew inches wide. As the game moved into the final 15 minutes, a mix-up between Stillie and McCracken almost let McDonald in, but the defender managed to get back and turn the ball away before the Australian could score. United had appeals for a penalty waved away when Lasley fouled Robson, referee Mike Conroy decided the offence occurred inches outside the area. Collin Samuel's arrival late in the game injected some much-needed pace into proceedings but, despite a few long-range efforts, could not break the impasse. Dundee United: Stillie, Proctor, McCracken, Archibald, Kalvenes, Robb (Conway 56), Kerr, Cameron, Robson, Hunt, Duff (Samuel 80).
Subs Not Used: McLean, Mair, Kenneth, Robertson, Goodwillie. Booked: Proctor. Goal: Hunt 64. Motherwell: Meldrum, Paterson, Craigan, Reynolds, Paul Quinn, Lasley, Kerr, Fitzpatrick, Maguire, Foran (Elliot 59), McDonald.
Subs Not Used: Graeme Smith, McCormack, McBride, Fagan, Robert Donnelly, Connolly. Booked: Lasley. Goal: Elliot 61. Att: 5,036 Ref: S Conroy |
