First Team

Match Report | Dundee United 3-2 Hibernian

20th October 2024

Never Say Die!

Dundee United 3 (Dalby 21', Stephenson 94', Meshack 99')

Hibernian 2 (O'Hora 42', Gayle 72')

3pm Saturday 19 October 2024

The CalForth Construction Arena at Tannadice Park

William Hill Premiership

Attendance: 10,870

Images: Richard Wiseman (Club Photographer)

Team News

Jim Goodwin made four changes to the side that took all three points in Paisley before the international break. 

Ross Graham, Ross Docherty and Craig Sibbald all missed out through injury while Jort van Der Sande was named amongst the substitutes. 

They were replaced by Kevin Holt, Glenn Middleton, Miller Thomson and David Babunski. 

In Command

There was an early chance for David Gray's side with two minutes on the clock as Chris Cadden fired a waist-high ball across the face of goal - which Kevin Holt duly knocked behind for a corner. 

We took the lead against the run of play as the clock struck 20 minutes!

A brilliant driving run from Middleton found him racing clear of Lewis Miller and heading for the byline. A perfectly picked pass to match was then bundled over the line by Sam Dalby under a challenge to put us ahead. 

Jack Walton then made sure of our advantage as he tipped a powerful header from Warren O'Hora over the bar. 

In on Terms

Our lead was short-lived as Hibs hit back just minutes before the break. 

All told, it was a simple goal. Newell's freekick was headed back across goal by Lewis Miller, and Warren O'Hora nodded home off the underside of the bar. 

Denied A Double

Just after the restart, a VAR check for offside denied us from retaking the lead. 

Again the move came down our left as a long ball from Declan Gallagher found Middleton in behind the Hibs' defence. Beating Cadden with some lovely footwork, his inch-perfect cross was bulleted beyond Josef Bursik by Dalby at the far post. 

However, following a check, it was ruled out by the narrowest of margins against our number 15. 

Hibs Hit The Front

Left unmarked at the back post, second-half substitute Dwight Gayle put the visitors in front on 72 minutes as he nodded home Jordan Obita's cross. 

Chaos at the Death

A late second yellow for Newell following a nasty challenge on Stephenson had the Hibs captain heading for an early bath and opened up the game ahead of eight additional minutes. 

As the onslaught of United attacks ensued, Luca Stephenson hit his second goal of the season to restore parity. Second-half substitute Kristijan Trapanovski was at the heart of it, brilliantly beating several Hibs' bodies and rasping the ball across goal. As it was parried out, our number 17 was on hand to slide the ball home from a matter of yards. 

There only ever looked like there would be one winner after that... 

Into the final minute of stoppage time, Meshack Ubochioma's first goal for United struck bedlam at Tannadice. 

It was route one stuff as Walton sent a searching ball towards the Hibs area. As it was flicked on by Holt, Bursik came to meet it without any purchase, and Meshack was there to loft the ball over everyone on his weaker right foot and into the net!

It was a fightback that showed our guts and courage as we picked up our fourth win of the campaign.  

TEAMLINES
Dundee United

Starting XI: Walton, Holt, Ševelj, Babunski (c), Ferry, Middleton, Adegboyega, Stephenson, Dalby, Thomson, Gallagher

Subs: Richards, Trapanovski, Odada, Fotheringham, van der Sande, Stirton, Domeracki, Meshack

Hibernian

Starting XI: Bursik, Miller, Ekpiteta, O'Hora, Newell (c), Cadden, Kwon, Obita, Hoilett, Molotnikov, Kukhareyvch

Subs: Smith, Levitt, Youan, Boyle, Iredale, McKirdy, Campbell, Bushiri, Gayle

POST-MATCH THOUGHTS

Jim Goodwin's thoughts on this afternoon's victory:

 

NEXT UP

We're back on home turf following a sold-out trip to Pittodrie as Motherwell visit for a midweek clash under the lights. 

Limited tickets and hospitality places are still on sale!

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