WOMEN'S TEAM NARROWLY MISS OUT ON PROMOTION

Dundee United will stay in SBSSWPL2 next season as they narrowly missed out on promotion to the top flight after a 2-2 draw with Partick Thistle on Sunday.

Both United and Thistle were involved in the promotion battle but it was Hamilton Academical who earned the right to play in SWPL1 after their win deemed the result in Dundee irrelevant.

After Robyn Smith gave United the lead early in the second half, Thistle levelled through Cara McBrearty before she had to deny United all three points in injury time when her second of the afternoon cancelled out Danni McGinley’s free kick.

Gavin Beith’s side were given a blow early on Sunday afternoon as four players were forced out of contention due to differing COVID issues. This gave him just three subs to call on, including Megan Burns who has been out of action since mid-June.

The first half was very much a scrappy affair as neither side were able to get themselves on top in the scorching sun.

It was Thistle who threatened early on when their captain Colette Fleming struck a 30 yard free kick onto the top of the crossbar before it went out for a goal kick.

Tammy Harkin was making her first start since November and almost floated in the perfect cross for Jade McLaren in the 14th minute but the latter couldn’t stretch far enough and keeper Anna Vincenti collected the loose ball.

SWPL2 Player of the Year nominee Clare Docherty maybe could have opened the scoring in the 22nd minute as she received the ball in the six yard box, however the attacker saw her shot blocked by her own leg.

Docherty was involved again after the half hour mark when she found herself in on goal but United captain Jade McLaren put in a great last ditch tackle to block the shot.

United came closest to opening the scoring as the game edged closer to half time; Haley Kern’s free kick was headed away by the Thistle defence but only as far as Danni McGinley who saw her volley fly agonisingly over the bar. 

The first half came to a close after a dangerous corner from Robyn Smith was somehow missed by everyone despite flying across the face of goal in a crowded six yard area.

Harkin tried her luck from a free kick just 90 seconds into the second half but couldn’t keep her strike down as it sailed over.

It wasn’t long however until the deadlock was broken and it came after 52 minutes. Robyn Smith has had an excellent week after her Player of the Month award and SWPL2 Player of the Year nomination and capped it off with a fantastic goal as she received the ball from Neve Guthrie before jinking past two defenders and curling a brilliant strike past Vincenti from outside the box.

It was almost 2-0 four minutes later as Harkin’s free kick looked destined to be met by McGinley but she couldn’t meet the ball despite her best efforts to become Stretch McGinley.

Aaliyah-Jay Meach pulled off a fantastic save to deny Docherty just before the hour mark but she was unable to repeat the feat as Cara McBrearty netted directly from a corner kick to level the scores.

Colette Fleming saw her shot held by Meach while at the other end United felt they should have had a penalty as the ball looked to hit a Thistle hand but appeals fell on deaf ears.

United didn’t have to wait long to go back ahead as just seven minutes after conceding, Danni McGinley restored the lead with a drilled free kick into the bottom corner from 20 yards.

Gavin Beith’s side looked keen to extend their advantage with Guthrie close to reaching a Smith cross before McGinley couldn’t repeat her earlier free kick; this time firing over the bar from a similar position.

Jade McLaren couldn’t find the target as the game progressed into the final quarter of an hour with the visitors’ Gallon firing a weak effort into the arms of Meach. This led to a counter attack that ended in Guthrie having a shot blocked.

Scorers Smith and McGinley were denied by a resolute Thistle defence before Teigan McCann and Docherty couldn’t find a way through at the other end.

As the game edged into injury time Georgie Robb lashed wide but it was Thistle who were to strike the final goal of the season. 

Meach pulled off a brilliant save to push a McCulloch header wide but from the corner McBrearty repeated her earlier goal to take a point away from a determined United side who looked much the better side.

The season ends with United in fourth place after an excellent promotion battle and this will surely set them up well for a title push in 2021-22.

Dundee United: Meach, McMillan, Foote, McLaren, Guthrie (Robb 82), E. Ross, Smith, McGinley, Simson (Robson 86), Kern, Harkin

Sub not used: Burns

Partick Thistle: Vincenti, McCulloch, Falconer, Fleming, Docherty (Hawksworth 84), McGlashan, Gallacher (Craig 74), Gallon, Rigden (McCann 56), MacDonald, McBrearty

Subs not used: Murphy, Rogers, Lyle, Bulloch