First Team
Match Report | Rangers 1-1 Dundee United
23rd November 2024
In an entertaining first half at North End Park today, Dundee United's youth team took on their Celtic counterparts and the home side were two up within seven minutes. In the first minute, Steven Bell (pictured) netted from the spot after Kenny Jarvis was brought down. Bell then headed a close range second from a William Easton cross. He did in fact net a third on thirteen minutes but this effort was disallowed after the referee blew for hand-ball. United should have scored with 21 minutes gone but the Celtic defence cleared during a goalmouth scramble. For their part Celtic had chances, mostly through McGeady, but the Tangerines defence was coping well with the visitors' attack, Gardiner clearing one off the line and McCann tipping a McGeady effort over the bar. However, Celtic did pull one back from a free kick by Mulgrew, which keeper McCann found too powerful to handle and it slipped through his fingers and into the net five minutes before the break.
Both sides had early goal attempts in the second half with McGeady firing wide for the visitors and seeing another effort being tipped over by the keeper and Gardiner again cleared off the line. For United, Easton had a good effort held by the keeper before Celtic were awarded a penalty that McGeady fired home. With fifteen minutes remaining, United set up a great passing move down the right and it deserved a finish with three United men waiting, but the ball broke clear. Then from the left a cross from Molloy was just poked wide by Andrew and minutes later Molloy was just too high with an overhead kick. Celtic also had a couple of chances and Mulgrew shot high over the bar near the end, but it was United who finished the more likely side.
After the match coach Tony Docherty said he was disappointed at the loss of two points for the second week in succession. He said "We started very positively and went two up. It could have been three but we had a goal disallowed. After that we allowed Celtic to come into the game a bit more. When half time came I was glad to get the chance to speak to the players to tell them to have a bit more belief in themselves and I think that came through in the second half. Anyone watching saw that United finished the stronger side and we could have gone on to win. I am a little disappointed we never picked up all three points which I think we could have done with a bit more belief. But I have to give credit to our players as they played some good football against a strong Celtic side."
United : McCann, Callaghan, Craig(Molloy 68), Hunter, Anderson (cpt), Gardiner, Jarvis, Smith (Abbot 54), Andrew, W Easton (Robertson 55).
Both sides had early goal attempts in the second half with McGeady firing wide for the visitors and seeing another effort being tipped over by the keeper and Gardiner again cleared off the line. For United, Easton had a good effort held by the keeper before Celtic were awarded a penalty that McGeady fired home. With fifteen minutes remaining, United set up a great passing move down the right and it deserved a finish with three United men waiting, but the ball broke clear. Then from the left a cross from Molloy was just poked wide by Andrew and minutes later Molloy was just too high with an overhead kick. Celtic also had a couple of chances and Mulgrew shot high over the bar near the end, but it was United who finished the more likely side.
After the match coach Tony Docherty said he was disappointed at the loss of two points for the second week in succession. He said "We started very positively and went two up. It could have been three but we had a goal disallowed. After that we allowed Celtic to come into the game a bit more. When half time came I was glad to get the chance to speak to the players to tell them to have a bit more belief in themselves and I think that came through in the second half. Anyone watching saw that United finished the stronger side and we could have gone on to win. I am a little disappointed we never picked up all three points which I think we could have done with a bit more belief. But I have to give credit to our players as they played some good football against a strong Celtic side."
United : McCann, Callaghan, Craig(Molloy 68), Hunter, Anderson (cpt), Gardiner, Jarvis, Smith (Abbot 54), Andrew, W Easton (Robertson 55).
