United 5 Kilmarnock 1

Dundee United blew Kilmarnock away in their best forty five minutes of football this season. By Gordon Aitchison United were fortunate to stay on level terms in the 2nd minute, when Josh Mcgennis ran in between Dillon and Gunning to get on the end of a cross, but from only four yards could not make a meaningful contact to beat Kawashima. This would be Kilmarnock’s only real effort on goal until the 38th minute and what happened in between was a complete masterclass by United, not expected given their lowly league position and recent form. In the eight minute, Billy Mckay controlled a pass in the area, with nowhere to turn he rolled it into the path of Spittal, who picked his spot in the far corner with a fine, angled drive. Both teams were forced into changes in the 11th minute, Smith replaced by Frizzel for Killie and Donaldson left the field on a stretcher after a head knock, to be replaced by Mark Durnan. Second Half Simon Murray, was running the Kilmarnock defence ragged and had the ball in the net in the 16th minute, but the referee, wrongly according to the vocal United support, ruled out the effort for a foul. Murray saw a well struck shot drift wide on twenty three minutes as United looked to increase the advantage. This duly arrived as substitute Durnan rose at the front post to head in Spittal's corner, two – nil United. It was then one way traffic for the remainder of the half. Murray then had an angled drive well saved by the keeper and Paton tried his luck from twenty yards. The third goal arrived in bizarre circumstances as Blair Spittal crossed from the edge of the box and there were no takers, but the ball curled into the bottom of the net, to the delight of the Tangerine Army. Two minutes later it was four, again Spittal crossed from the right and the ball was deflected in the air and dropped perfectly for Rankin to fire into the net. Half Time: United 4 – 0 Kilmarnock United controlled the 2nd half from the off, prepared to sit in and hit Kilmarnock on the break, showing a confidence that a four goal lead gives. Ten minutes into the half Rankin and Mckay combined to set up Murray at the back post but his looping header dropped over the bar. Slater then had a shot well saved by Kawashima and United broke with lightening pace and Mckay will have been unhappy as his tame effort came to nothing. Spittal fired in another inviting cross, which was met by Gunning but deflected way. Mid way through the half United again began to exert pressure on the hapless and by now weary Kilmarnock defence. They had a penalty shout turned away by the ref on seventy five minutes, but the United faithful had only three minutes to wait for goal number five, Sean Dillon making the most of some good fortune and a nice touch by Dow, to poke the ball past McDonald. Magennis got a goal back for Kilmarnock soon after, first forcing a great save from Kawashima, but from the resultant corner, he again beat the United defence to head into the goal. United saw out the remainder of the game with little trouble, to the joy of the large home support. Teams: Dundee United: Kawashima, Dillon (C), Paton, McKay, Rankin, Dow (Riski), Murray, Gunning, Spittal, Donaldson (Durnan), Demel (Souttar) Unused Subs: Zwick, , Muirhead, Durnan, Fraser, Spark, Kilmarnock: MacDonald, Smith ( C ) (Frizzel), Hamill, Findlay, Ashcroft, Slater, Kiltie, Syme, Balatoni, Magennis, Higginbotham (Obedeyi) Unused Subs: Brennan, Robinson, Boyd, , Carrick, McHattie, Referee: Euan Anderson