WOMEN'S TEAM LOSE OUT TO QUEEN'S PARK

It was delight at half time but despair at full time as Dundee United lost 3-1 to Queen’s Park at Lesser Hampden this afternoon. 

Despite going ahead through Robyn Smith, United squandered three points as second half goals from Louisa Boyes, Chloe Docherty and Samantha McManus turned things round for the Spiders. 

Gavin Beith made one change from last Sunday’s win over Stirling University as Aaliyah-Jay Meach was replaced by Caroline Nachman between the sticks. 

Midfielder Holly Napier had the first chance of the afternoon after four minutes as she was laid off by Tammy Harkin, but she fired over. 

Nachman was keen to impress in her first appearance of the season and did well in the tenth minute denying Fyfe and Crooks in quick succession. 

United should have put themselves ahead four minutes later when another Harkin delivery found Robyn Smith who could only watch as she sent the ball wide from close range. 

The Spiders’ Fyfe thought she was guaranteed to score just before the half hour mark as she rounded Nachman inside the box and sent the ball towards goal, only for full back Rebecca Foote to make a last gasp clearance to hook the ball away. 

It wasn’t long before the deadlock was broken and after 32 minutes Smith had the honour of doing so for the second week running. Harkin’s set piece was pushed onto the woodwork and, after creating some space, Neve Guthrie rolled the ball to the winger to lash into the net. 

Crooks and Louisa Boyes couldn’t find the target for the hosts either side of Harkin dragging her shot across goal after collecting a fantastic Napier ball. 

With three minutes remaining the midfielder saw another chance pushed wide by Katie Andrews but the final opportunity of the half fell to the hosts when Nachman spilled a shot but she managed to get her hands to the loose ball milliseconds before the striker fouled her. 

It took just 124 seconds for the second half to produce another goal but unfortunately it was for the hosts as Boyes struck past Nachman from just inside the box. 

One minute later Stina Kleppe almost put United back in front but her free kick was inches too high and went out for a goal kick. 

Both defences were very much on top for the majority of the second half with very little to write home about until the 82nd minute when Queen’s Park took the lead. 

A loose ball found itself rolling towards Chloe Docherty and she sent a 25-yard first time effort into the top corner via the hand of Nachman. 

United pushed for an equaliser but it wasn’t to be as the Spiders sealed all three points with three minutes remaining. A quickly taken free kick lost possession for United and it allowed sub Samantha McManus to make it 3-1. 

The result means Gavin Beith’s team fall to eighth in the league with four points from four games. They are on the road for the fourth game this season next Sunday when they take on fellow Tayside club St Johnstone. 

Queen’s Park: Andrews, Coleman, McLeod, Kerr Fulton 85), Fyfe, Potts (McGoldrick 79), Crooks (McManus 68), Shearer, Davies, Boyes, Docherty 

Subs not used: Mullen, MacDonald, Hopgood, Caddell (gk)

Dundee United: Nachman, McLaren, Guthrie (Robson 68), Smith, Napier, Foote, Simson (McCallum 55), Burns, Harkin, Kleppe, Clemison 

Subs not used: Robbie, McMillan, Carter, Kern, Meach (gk)

Picture courtesy of Ian Cairns of Queen's Park.