UNITED WOMEN SECURE FIRST VICTORY OF SEASON

Dundee United earned their first win of the season on Sunday with a 3-1 home win over Stirling University in the Scottish Building Society Scottish Women’s Premier League Two.

Despite Shana MacPhail quickly cancelling out Robyn Smith‘s early opener, goals by Holly Napier and Jade McLaren secured all three points for United.

Gavin Beith made just one change from last week’s draw with Partick Thistle as Neve Guthrie was rewarded for her lively substitute appearance last week replacing Erin Ross.

United started the stronger with Steffi Simson and Megan Burns forcing early saves from Bobby Cochran in the Stirling goal.

In the seventh minute, Stina Kleppe tried her luck from long range but was unfortunate to see her effort fly inches over the bar.

Four minutes later, Tammy Harkin volleyed over, but she was to turn provider less than a minute after when she sent a ball into the box for Robyn Smith to guide into the net for the opening goal.

United was ahead for fewer than 120 seconds before Stirling equalised; Shana MacPhail’s ambitious long-range strike beating Aaliyah-Jay Meach in the United goal.

As United chased the goal that would reintroduce their lead, Smith was then denied by Stirling keeper Cochran shortly before she set up Neve Guthrie whose effort did beat the keeper only to see the ball come back off the inside of the post.

As the half wore on, Kleppe and Guthrie again forced Cochran into action while at the other end MacPhail almost scored against the run of play with the woodwork denying her.

With fourteen minutes remaining of the first half, United retook the lead; Guthrie slipped a ball into the box and Simson’s cut-back found its way via Harkin to Holly Napier who coolly slotted into the bottom corner.

Stirling was giving as good as they got on occasion and were looking to get back on level terms before the break; however, Dickov and MacPhail couldn’t find a way past Meach in the United goal despite decent efforts.

The visitors were unlucky not to equalise in the 55th minute as Dickov sent a shot from a tight angle that crashed against the bar and was cleared.

Sixty seconds later, United almost increased their lead. Tammy Harkin blasted over from a good position after meeting a Smith cross. That third goal was only delayed for a matter of minutes. Harkin sent a corner into the danger zone and after it wasn’t cleared Jade McLaren grabbed her second of the season with a close-range finish to put United two goals up after 59 minutes.

Napier looked in the mood for another goal after the hour mark; a 30-yard effort was tipped over before the resulting corner fell to her on the edge of the box, but she struck a strong effort into the arms of a grateful Cochran.

The ball was in the net again with eighteen minutes to go when Napier sent a diving header past the keeper, but the goal was ruled out for offside.

Dickov continued to look the visitors’ most dangerous outlet and United keeper Meach denied her reducing the deficit.

Smith, who scored the first, thought she had grabbed another goal as her shot, via a deflection, looked destined for the net but bounced agonisingly past the far post with Cochran stranded in the Stirling goal. That was to be the last chance of the match as United ran out 3-1 winners.

The win takes the team up to sixth in the table, level with Partick on four points. They now host Glasgow in another home tie on Wednesday at North End Park with a 7pm kick-off.

Dundee United: Meach, McLaren, Guthrie (Robson 70), Smith, Napier, Foote, Simson (Ross 54), Burns, Harkin (Kern 78), Kleppe, Clemison

Subs not used: Robbie, McMillan, Carter, Nachman (gk)

Stirling University: Cochran, Taylor, Blues, MacPhail, Malcolm (Mitchell 46), Gallacher, Dickov, Hellgren, Gullan, Murphy, Kerl (McMahon 71)

Subs not used: Simpson, Watson, Sanchez, Szigeti, Whitaker (gk)