First Team
Match Report | Rangers 1-1 Dundee United
23rd November 2024
A battling second half team effort today saw United break their recent habit of surrendering leads, earning them a deserved three points against high flying Hibs. After a somewhat sedate first forty-five, Collin Samuel's strike just after the hour mark provoked a determined fight back from an otherwise lethargic Hibs - but United more than held their own.
Gordon Chisholm welcomed back Paul Ritchie into the back four following suspension. Utility man Stuart Duff was pushed into a central midfield role with Robson reverting to his more accustomed left midfield role, and Jim McIntyre dropping onto the bench.
Hibs lined up in a familiar 4-5-1 formation, lone striker O'Connor looking to get support from Brown, Riordon and Shields from midfield. But for the first thirty minutes of this game, the congested midfield area made for rather dull viewing. Then on twenty-seven minutes, a tremendous volley from Samuel after a Miller knock-down almost broke the deadlock. That seemed to spark the game to life, and the quarter hour before the interval saw a welcome increase in the amount of goal mouth action. Scott Brown's cross gave Shiels the first of two good chances, the wide man blazing the ball over from close range when a goal seemed certain. Shiels was almost able to make amends two minutes later but Riordon's cross was just too far ahead of the young Englishman to allow him to finish. Between those two Shiels opportunities, Fernandez had missed an excellent opportunity for United having been put through by Duff yet Malkowsiki in the Hibs goal was able to make an easy save. Five minutes from the interval, the keeper was in action again, diving to his right to make a superb save after a twenty-five yard Stuart Duff shot.
Goalless at half time - but the game was shaping up for a more entertaining second half.
Hibs replaced Beuzelin with Fletcher just after the break as the second half started in a much faster and more competitive manner. Shiels had his third good chance after fifty-five minutes, but panicked when through on Stillie, sending a shot well off target with team mates much better placed to strike home into the unguarded net. Stillie then made a magnificent save to deny Brown as for the first time Hibs looked like they were getting on top. But on sixty-one minutes the visitors found themselves a goal in arrears. Miller's faint head flick from Stillie's clearance was perfectly placed and Collin Samuel showed great pace to break clear of the Hibs back four and shot home powerfully.
United have recently been guilty of letting leads slip too easily, and it almost happened again here. Within a minute, a dipping Steven Fletcher header beat Stillie - and rebounded from the crossbar. For a period United sat back too deep, but some fine defending restricted the number of chances Hibs could create. With fifteen minutes left, Gary Caldwell's side-footed effort was just over. Riordon came close with a thirty yard free kick but as the clock ticked away Hibs continued to struggle in the final third. With nerves beginning to take their toll, United almost provided them with a helping hand but Stillie made a superb reaction save when Fletcher's cross appeared to be deflected towards his own goal by Duff. Then Ritchie's misplaced header nearly allowed O'Connor through. An injury time counter attack saw Samuel head narrowly wide after a cross from substitute McIntyre.
But the single goal proved enough thanks to dogged and well organised defending, and United were certainly worthy of a narrow win. Arabs can now look forward to the festive fixture list - looking upwards towards the battle for a top six place, rather than worrying about what's going on down below.
Man of the match: Mark Wilson. Difficult to pick out individuals after a good team effort, though extra credit to the back four for limiting Hibs to few chances and holding on to a single goal lead. Wilson was effective in keeping Riordon out of the game for long spells, so much so that Tony Mowbray twice resorted to moving his top marksman to other parts of the park in an effort to get him involved.
Dundee Utd: Stillie, Wilson, McCracken, Ritchie, Archibald, Duff, Kerr, Robson, Fernandez (McIntyre 71), Miller, Samuel.
Subs Not Used: Samson, McInnes, Kenneth, Robertson, Cameron, Goodwillie.
Booked: Kerr, Robson. Goal: Samuel 61.
Hibernian: Malkowski, Whittaker, Smith, Caldwell, Glass, Shiels (McCluskey 72), Scott Brown (McDonald 90), Beuzelin (Fletcher 49), Thomson, Riordan, O'Connor.
Subs Not Used: Simon Brown, Morrow, Hogg, Rudge.
Booked: Glass, Thomson.
Att: 7,976
Ref: B Winter
Click here for the full report by Stuart McDonald.
Gordon Chisholm welcomed back Paul Ritchie into the back four following suspension. Utility man Stuart Duff was pushed into a central midfield role with Robson reverting to his more accustomed left midfield role, and Jim McIntyre dropping onto the bench.
Hibs lined up in a familiar 4-5-1 formation, lone striker O'Connor looking to get support from Brown, Riordon and Shields from midfield. But for the first thirty minutes of this game, the congested midfield area made for rather dull viewing. Then on twenty-seven minutes, a tremendous volley from Samuel after a Miller knock-down almost broke the deadlock. That seemed to spark the game to life, and the quarter hour before the interval saw a welcome increase in the amount of goal mouth action. Scott Brown's cross gave Shiels the first of two good chances, the wide man blazing the ball over from close range when a goal seemed certain. Shiels was almost able to make amends two minutes later but Riordon's cross was just too far ahead of the young Englishman to allow him to finish. Between those two Shiels opportunities, Fernandez had missed an excellent opportunity for United having been put through by Duff yet Malkowsiki in the Hibs goal was able to make an easy save. Five minutes from the interval, the keeper was in action again, diving to his right to make a superb save after a twenty-five yard Stuart Duff shot.
Goalless at half time - but the game was shaping up for a more entertaining second half.
Hibs replaced Beuzelin with Fletcher just after the break as the second half started in a much faster and more competitive manner. Shiels had his third good chance after fifty-five minutes, but panicked when through on Stillie, sending a shot well off target with team mates much better placed to strike home into the unguarded net. Stillie then made a magnificent save to deny Brown as for the first time Hibs looked like they were getting on top. But on sixty-one minutes the visitors found themselves a goal in arrears. Miller's faint head flick from Stillie's clearance was perfectly placed and Collin Samuel showed great pace to break clear of the Hibs back four and shot home powerfully.
United have recently been guilty of letting leads slip too easily, and it almost happened again here. Within a minute, a dipping Steven Fletcher header beat Stillie - and rebounded from the crossbar. For a period United sat back too deep, but some fine defending restricted the number of chances Hibs could create. With fifteen minutes left, Gary Caldwell's side-footed effort was just over. Riordon came close with a thirty yard free kick but as the clock ticked away Hibs continued to struggle in the final third. With nerves beginning to take their toll, United almost provided them with a helping hand but Stillie made a superb reaction save when Fletcher's cross appeared to be deflected towards his own goal by Duff. Then Ritchie's misplaced header nearly allowed O'Connor through. An injury time counter attack saw Samuel head narrowly wide after a cross from substitute McIntyre.
But the single goal proved enough thanks to dogged and well organised defending, and United were certainly worthy of a narrow win. Arabs can now look forward to the festive fixture list - looking upwards towards the battle for a top six place, rather than worrying about what's going on down below.
Man of the match: Mark Wilson. Difficult to pick out individuals after a good team effort, though extra credit to the back four for limiting Hibs to few chances and holding on to a single goal lead. Wilson was effective in keeping Riordon out of the game for long spells, so much so that Tony Mowbray twice resorted to moving his top marksman to other parts of the park in an effort to get him involved.
Dundee Utd: Stillie, Wilson, McCracken, Ritchie, Archibald, Duff, Kerr, Robson, Fernandez (McIntyre 71), Miller, Samuel.
Subs Not Used: Samson, McInnes, Kenneth, Robertson, Cameron, Goodwillie.
Booked: Kerr, Robson. Goal: Samuel 61.
Hibernian: Malkowski, Whittaker, Smith, Caldwell, Glass, Shiels (McCluskey 72), Scott Brown (McDonald 90), Beuzelin (Fletcher 49), Thomson, Riordan, O'Connor.
Subs Not Used: Simon Brown, Morrow, Hogg, Rudge.
Booked: Glass, Thomson.
Att: 7,976
Ref: B Winter
Click here for the full report by Stuart McDonald.
