First Team
All The Info | Rangers (A)
22nd November 2024
DUNDEE UNITED 4 (Fotheringham 8', Watt 14' 60', Greive 64')
ARBROATH 0
3PM SATURDAY 9 MARCH 2024
TANNADICE PARK
CINCH CHAMPIONSHIP
Attendance: 7,676
United made it an impressive clean sweep over the Red Lichties on league duty.
THE TEAM TALK
Jim Goodwin made two changes to this afternoon’s DUFC XI!
Into the side came Glenn Middleton and Kai Fotheringham in place of Liam Grimshaw and Jordan Tillson.
Five DUFC Academy Graduates were involved in our matchday squad.
Ahead of kick-off, Scott McMann was presented with a commemorative shirt on the field from Maurice Malpas after making his 100th DUFC appearance in midweek!
A BLISTERING START
It didn't take long for the goal to come as Fotheringham paid dividends for his starting spot with a goal inside eight minutes.
Miller Thomson was again involved after some early crosses as his corner was met with first contact by Declan Gallagher before being flicked home by Fotheringham from close range.
McMann went close to notching our second as he burst into the penalty area but a strong foot from Derek Gaston denied our number 33.
Just before a quarter of an hour, another corner led to another goal! This time Middleton's delivery from the opposite side, cleared the hustle and bustle, lading with Tony Watt at the back post who finished superbly - curling the ball into the far corner with the outside of his boot.
LOOKING FOR MORE
Louis Moult should have had our third as he latched onto a loose back pass and rounded Gaston, only to clip the ball over the bar.
The pace eventually did settle with United enjoying comfortable possession.
Before the break, Gaston had to be replaced by Max Boruc who twice denied Middleton from close range following his introduction.
In the last action, Moult was so close to another screamer as his 25-yard freekick was only stopped by the crossbar!
It was a first half full of United dominance as we led by two at the break.
MOUNTING THE PRESSURE
We made one change at the break as Moult made way for Alex Greive.
An early second-half chance fell as Docherty slid in Fotheringham and a super first touch took him inside the box. He smartly cut the ball back for Watt but Boruc saved with his legs to deny us a third.
JUST REWARDS
Goals three and four came as United cemented the points.
It was another mistake at the back that United capitalised on as Greive latched onto a loose ball and raced towards goal. Unselfishly, he slid the ball across for Watt to pass home from yards out on the hour mark!
Greive got a reward of his own as just four minutes later he was played through one on one and kept his cool to slide the ball under Boruc for our fourth.
TWISTING THE KNIFE
A nine-minute cameo from Arbroath substitute Kyle Robinson is all he could muster as two quick bookings saw the visitors reduced to ten. The first of his cautions came following a coming together with Gallagher before leaving an arm in on Holt during an aerial challenge.
Four was all she wrote as United stay top of the cinch Championship.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH
???? This afternoon's matchday sponsors, @GrahamEnviro, have chosen Tony Watt as their ???????????????????????? ???????? ???????????? ????????????????????! pic.twitter.com/fOHaBLHcZp
— Dundee United FC (@dundeeunitedfc) March 9, 2024
TEAMLINES
DUNDEE UNITED
Starting XI: Walton, Holt, Moult, Sibbald, Middleton, Fotheringham, Docherty (c), Thomson, Gallagher, Watt, Mcmann
Subs: Newman, McClelland, Graham, Greive, Grimshaw, Tillson, Meekison, Mochrie, Cudjoe
ARBROATH
Starting XI: Gaston, Stewart, Little, O'Brien (c), Lyon, Slater, Mackinnon, Mcintosh, Mckenna, Bird, Reilly
Subs: Boruc, Gold, Jacobs, Dow, Stowe, Teale, Robinson, Walker, Murray
NEXT UP
Friday night football is up next as we take on Dunfermline at East End Park.
Image: Richard Wiseman (Club Photographer)
