First Team
All The Info | Rangers (A)
22nd November 2024
DUNDEE UNITED 0
AIRDRIEONIANS 2 (McGill 59', O'Connor 93')
7.45PM TUESDAY 27 FEBRUARY 2024
TANNADICE PARK
CINCH CHAMPIONSHIP
Attendance: 7,867
It was an evening to forget as Airdrieonians hit twice in the second half to take all three points.
THE TEAM TALK
Jim Goodwin has made four changes ahead of tonight's meeting with Airdrieonians!
It comes as no surprise, as the Gaffer insisted that utilising the depth and quality of our squad will be key for the Terrors emerging out of a hectic cinch Championship schedule unscathed.
After making an impressive impact from the bench on Matchday 25, Alex Greive and Glenn Middleton are drafted in from the start in place of Louis Moult and Mathew Cudjoe who are named on the bench.
Jordan Tillson also features among the substitutes, whilst David Wotherspoon is not risked after being withdrawn within ten minutes on Saturday.
They’re replaced by Academy graduates Chris Mochrie and Archie Meekison, the latter making his first start since our trip to the Caledonian Stadium in a 1-0 victory over Inverness in early September. They are just two of the six DUFC Academy graduates involved in this evening’s squad.
NIP AND TUCK
It was an opening in which both sides enjoyed early half-chances, the first of which falling for the men in tangerine.
Clever play from Tony Watt opened up space in the pocket behind the midfield and was worked out to the right. Middleton then found himself in a shooting position but both himself and subsequently Scott McMann had efforts blocked.
The visitors’ first opportunity came as a ball broke to player/manager Rhys McCabe whose shot from distance sailed over the bar after some clever footwork from Liam McStravick fashioned the chance.
Moments later, dancing feet from Greive saw him pass his marker with a driving run to the by-line and a dangerous ball flashed across the goal mouth with no takers.
It was a frantic start, with the match lacking any real cohesion as both sides looked to make the pressure pay.
HEATING UP
Somehow, Charles Telfer and McCabe both escaped bookings for bringing down Mochrie and Watt respectively as United looked to probe.
The latter incident brought with it a free kick for The Terrors, Middleton going agonisingly close to opening the scoring as his freekick from little under 30 yards crashed off of the crossbar!
Middleton again had a sighting at goal as the half drew to a close, this time his effort from a narrow angle whistled wide of the upright.
A FAMILIAR STORY
On 59 minutes, United failed to deal with Telfer's cross following some one-touch play, and Gabriel McGill was unmarked to nod the ball beyond Jack Walton.
FEELING AGGRIEVED
It was a goal that sparked immediate change: Louis Moult and Liam Grimshaw entered proceedings in place of Watt and Meekison.
Another change followed ten minutes later as Mochrie made way for Kai Fotheringham.
We had appeals for a penalty waved away as Middleton looked to be scythed down inside the box, but Grant Irvine waved play-on.
NOT TO BE
Two penalty box stramashes were the closest we came to restoring parity.
What looked like a game of pinball ended up at the feet of Moult but he couldn't get a shot away as the ball raced out of play.
Joshua Rae then spilt a corner which couldn't be bundled over the line before an eventual freekick was awarded to the visitors.
As United pushed for a leveller into stoppage time, substitute Josh O'Connor secured the points after being sent clear and rolling the ball underneath Walton into an empty net.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH
KESR Developments have chosen Declan Gallagher as their #UTDAIR Player of the Match ?? pic.twitter.com/7wTYsqBJz0
— Dundee United FC (@dundeeunitedfc) February 27, 2024
TEAMLINES
DUNDEE UNITED
Starting XI: Walton, Holt, Greive, Sibbald, Middleton, Meekison, Mochrie, Thomson, Gallagher, Watt, McMann
Subs: Newman, McClelland, Graham, Grimshaw, Moult, Tillson, Fotheringham, Macleod, Cudjoe
AIRDRIEONIANS
Starting XI: Rae, Ballantyne, McCabe, Hancock, Fordyce, Telfer, Frizzell (c), McStravick, Megwa, C.Gallagher, McGill
Subs: Hutton, Taylor-Sinclair, Watson, McMaster, O'Connor, Todorov, Lyall, Donnell, G.Gallagher
NEXT UP
We're back in action on Saturday as we travel to Firhill to face Partick Thistle.
Images: Richard Wiseman.
