United 0 Celtic 3

A second half hat-trick by Lee Griffiths handed United a 3-0 home defeat by Celtic. The first half was evenly contested but in the end the Champions were too strong for a battling United team. By Gareth Scott United started the first of the post split fixtures against Celtic with four teenagers in the starting eleven. After losing at Aberdeen last weekend there were three forced changes to the starting line up. Butcher and Bilate missed out through injury whilst Nadir Ciftci served a one match suspension. John Rankin and Blair Spittal returned to the midfield whilst Robbie Muirhead made his first start for the club in attack. Former United man Stuart Armstrong started for the visitors with Gary Mackay-Steven amongst the substitutes. First Half: United more than held their own during the first half and early on the impressive Muirhead headed an Erskine free kick wide of target. Izaguirre then flashed one across the six yard box but fortunately for United there were no takers. Telfer then did the same for United and again no one was on hand to stab the ball home. A Spittal corner was then headed wide by McGowan and then Muirhead went very close for the hosts but Gordon tipped his powerful shot over. United were playing well at both ends and Souttar did well to block an effort from Commons. Shortly after a fine move from Armstrong and Izaguirre saw the ball fall into the path of Van Dijk but Cierzniak did well to thwart the Dutchman. Muirhead then broke forward for United and after a challenge from Denayer, Spittal sent in a shot that was well taken by Gordon. Robbie Muirhead then tested Gordon again with another shot but the Scotland keeper saved easily. There was a big moment on the half hour mark when a heavy challenge by Scott Brown on John Rankin resulted in a yellow card for the Celtic captain. United were keeping things tight at the back and twice kept the visitors at bay with firstly Souttar blocking a Commons effort and then Fojut halted a flowing move involving Armstrong and Commons. Right on half time United had a chance when Rankin's free kick came back to Erskine but he blasted the ball over. Second Half: The second half started in the worst possible way for United. Armstrong was given too much time on the edge of the area and he found Brown who teed up Griffiths who shot past the helpless Cierzniak. Five minutes later a moment of magic kept the shoreline at 1-0. Matthews swung in a cross that picked out Commons and his header was brilliantly tipped round the post by Cierzniak. United then broke up the pitch and Spittal found Muirhead who shot weakly at Gordon. United were pressing for an equaliser and a fine cross from Dixon was headed clear with Muirhead threatening. Cierzniak then saved United again when Johansen shot after a pass from Matthews. With 25 minutes left the match was effectively killed off. A Celtic corner came off the head of United's Morris. The ball came back off the post and Griffiths stabbed home at the second time of asking. All the pressure was now heading towards the United goal and with ten minutes left substitute Mackay-Steven rattled a shot off the crossbar. With eight minutes left the visitors extended their lead further. Mackay-Steven burst into the danger area and was brought down right on the edge of the penalty box by Rankin. The referee thought long and hard before pointing to the spot. Griffiths stood up and scored his and his team's third goal of the afternoon. Summing Up - United put in a decent showing, particularly in the first half when they were more than a match for Celtic. The loss of an early goal at the start of the second period was crucial and in the end the visitors were worthy winners.  Man of the match - United had a young team on and they more than held there own for periods. Paul Dixon looked more like himself but in an unfamiliar midfield role, John Souttar put in a fine performance for the Tangerines. Teams: United: Cierzniak, Dixon, Souttar, Fojut, Rankin, Muirhead, Morris, McGowan, Erskine (Anier 87) Telfer (Coote 68) Spittal (Connolly 78). Subs : Szromnik, Spark, Smith, Dillon Celtic: Gordon, Matthews (Ambrose 68), Izaguirre, Van Dijk, Bitton, Brown, Armstrong (Mackay-Steven 60) Commons, Denayer, Johansen (Forrest 71), Griffiths Subs : Zaluska, Guidetti, Scepovic, Tierney Referee : William Collum