First Team
Match Report | Rangers 1-1 Dundee United
23rd November 2024
Having been one goal up at half time, two further goals soon after the re-start ensured United went on to win convincingly. Scorers were Wilkie, Burnett, Smith (2) and Gardiner.
The reserve match with Dunfermline had to be switched to Arbroath due to a fixture clash and as always seems to be the case at Gayfield ,the wind proved to be a factor.
The United side lined up in a 4-5-1 formation with a back four of Proctor, Wilkie, Gardiner & Easton; Burnett, Cameron, Andreoni, Smith & Robb who was making his return from injury, with Feeney the lone frontman.
Facing the stiff wind, it took Tony Docherty's side time to settle. Indeed, in the early stages the visitors threatened on three occasions, and United had Euan McLean to thank for not falling behind.
After 19 minutes the keeper was at full stretch to keep out a netbound Ross Gardiner pass-back and two minutes later he denied Alan McDonough with a block at point-blank range and midway through the half acrobatically pawed away a looping Iain Williamson header.
Having finally adapted to the conditions, from that point on, Tony Docherty's side almost totally dictated proceedings.
After Lee Wilkie was adjudged to have climbed as he headed home a Grant Smith corner after 33 minutes, a repeat performance by the pair four minutes later saw United go in front.
That was how the score stood at the break and if it took the side a while on how to play against the wind, they cottoned on very quickly on how to make best use of it when it was at their backs. So much so that within twenty minutes of the re-start, the Pars were five down!
Greg Burnett rifled a low 25 yarder into the far corner eight minutes into the second half and within a minute, Grant Smith knocked in the third after visiting keeper Greg Paterson could only parry a Marco Andreoni shot.
On 64 minutes, defender Ross Gardiner made it four, burying a right foot shot from 20-yards, but the best was saved for last, Grant Smith's sweetly struck left foot volley from 22-yards raging into the top right hand corner for the fifth midway through the second half.
The only interruption to United's domination came twelve minutes from the end when Ross Gardiner had to clear an Iain Williamson header off the line.
Team: McLean, Proctor, Easton, Cameron, Wilkie, Gardiner, Burnett, Andreoni, Feeney, Smith, Robb (S Paterson 88), Subs not used: Curtis, McMechan, Milligan, Mathieson.
The reserve match with Dunfermline had to be switched to Arbroath due to a fixture clash and as always seems to be the case at Gayfield ,the wind proved to be a factor.
The United side lined up in a 4-5-1 formation with a back four of Proctor, Wilkie, Gardiner & Easton; Burnett, Cameron, Andreoni, Smith & Robb who was making his return from injury, with Feeney the lone frontman.
Facing the stiff wind, it took Tony Docherty's side time to settle. Indeed, in the early stages the visitors threatened on three occasions, and United had Euan McLean to thank for not falling behind.
After 19 minutes the keeper was at full stretch to keep out a netbound Ross Gardiner pass-back and two minutes later he denied Alan McDonough with a block at point-blank range and midway through the half acrobatically pawed away a looping Iain Williamson header.
Having finally adapted to the conditions, from that point on, Tony Docherty's side almost totally dictated proceedings.
After Lee Wilkie was adjudged to have climbed as he headed home a Grant Smith corner after 33 minutes, a repeat performance by the pair four minutes later saw United go in front.
That was how the score stood at the break and if it took the side a while on how to play against the wind, they cottoned on very quickly on how to make best use of it when it was at their backs. So much so that within twenty minutes of the re-start, the Pars were five down!
Greg Burnett rifled a low 25 yarder into the far corner eight minutes into the second half and within a minute, Grant Smith knocked in the third after visiting keeper Greg Paterson could only parry a Marco Andreoni shot.
On 64 minutes, defender Ross Gardiner made it four, burying a right foot shot from 20-yards, but the best was saved for last, Grant Smith's sweetly struck left foot volley from 22-yards raging into the top right hand corner for the fifth midway through the second half.
The only interruption to United's domination came twelve minutes from the end when Ross Gardiner had to clear an Iain Williamson header off the line.
Team: McLean, Proctor, Easton, Cameron, Wilkie, Gardiner, Burnett, Andreoni, Feeney, Smith, Robb (S Paterson 88), Subs not used: Curtis, McMechan, Milligan, Mathieson.
