FIXTURE INFORMATION | DUNDEE UNITED B V DUNFERMLINE ATHLETIC B
26th November 2024
Dundee United notched up a comfortable 3-1 victory against Second Division side Dunfermline Athletic as Jackie McNamara continued his preparations for next Friday's SPL opener.
Goals from Ryan Gauld, David Goodwillie - in his first match on Scottish soil since returning on loan - and Ryan Dow gave United a morale-boosting win in front of around 1000 Arabs who made the journey to Fife eager to see their side's only pre-season fixture in Scotland.
The match gave most of the United faithful their first opportunity to catch a glimpse of new signings Paul Paton, Chris Erskine, Calum Butcher and Andrew Robertson, as well as Goodwillie.
Manager Jackie McNamara lined United up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Butcher partnering Sean Dillon in the heart of defence, and Keith Watson and Robertson at full back. Paton partnered Stuart Armstrong in midfield, with youngster Ryan Gauld in a free role behind Goodwillie, and Gary Mackay-Steven and Erskine at either side.
United had the first chance within the first five minutes when Gauld played a neat ball through to Goodwillie, who tried to take it round keeper Ryan Scully, only for the Pars stopper to make a good save at his feet.
Dunfermline started doggedly and were gradually working their way through the United defence when they took the lead with a fine goal after 11 minutes. A corner was cleared only to the edge of the penalty area and Josh Falkingham fired in a sweet strike which left McCallum with little chance.
After 22 minutes, United drew level with a stunning free kick from Ryan Gauld. After Armstrong went down on the edge of the box, the teenager stepped up and struck a beautiful left-footed effort into the back of the net.
After a sluggish start, United started to get going after half an hour and Mackay-Steven produced an outstanding bit of wing wizardry, before being scythed down cynically by Kerr Young. Armstrong then played a ball in from the right which Mackay-Steven met first time but Scully saved.
Much of United's good play was coming from Ryan Gauld, and the youngster was drawing defenders to him, which created space for others. In one such instance Andrew Robertson, who was a constant threat down the left, swung in a superb ball from the left which Goodwillie stooped to head just wide. Paul Paton then fired an effort just wide.
As the game edged towards half time, Gauld curved in a free kick from almost exactly the position as his first goal, only for it to dip marginally over the bar.
Within a few minutes of the restart, United came close to taking the lead when Armstrong ghosted past a few players on the left of the box and delivered a brilliant centre for Goodwillie, who sclaffed his close-range effort with the goal gaping.
A frantic minute then saw the ball smack Ryan Scully's post twice. First Robertson played in Mackay-Steven, who then centred for Goodwillie, only for defender Calum Morris to nip in ahead of him and batter an effort off his own post. United then attacked again and Erskine fired an effort off the post, then proceeded to nearly bundle the ball over the line.
With the Tangerines now well on top and playing some good passing movements they finally did take the lead in the 52nd minute as Goodwillie strode onto a through ball and drilled an effort low beyond Scully, giving Arabs the first chance to chant his name in nearly two years.
The away side were now playing some fine stuff, and a long winding run from Gauld led to him teeing up Erskine, who centred for Goodwillie to fire wide.
With the side finally playing the kind of free-flowing football they are more than capable of, Jackie McNamara then made eight changes as he attempted to assess the rest of his squad. On came Gavin Gunning and Neal Trotman into the heart of defence, with Souttar playing at right back, Rankin joining Paton in the centre of midfield, then Dow, Ciftci and Gardyne playing off Brian Graham.
It was to be Ryan Dow who made the most immediate impact, though, as he took his first touch of the game to control the ball then curled an outstanding effort from 25 yards into the bottom corner to give United a 3-1 lead on the hour mark.
With only a quarter of an hour to go former Queens Park left back Andrew Robertson was the only player from the United starting line-up still on the park, and he was showing no signs of tiring. Another great run took him to the left edge of the area, then his centre dropped just beyond the post.
Dunfermline pressed hard in the final minutes and McCallum needed to make a fantastic one handed stop from substitute Craig Dargo, and trialist Trotman had to make a good saving challenge at the feet of the same striker as the home side looked for a way back into the match. Trotman then showed himself to be a threat in attack as well, connecting well with a cross to glance a header into Scully's arms.
Full time: Dunfermline 1 United 3: A good outing for the United squad, with plenty of positives ahead of the start of the season.
Man of the match: United fans would be happy with the display of new left-back Andrew Robertson and midfield warrior Paul Paton, but it was young Ryan Gauld who stole the show with another scintillating performance full of attacking creativity and flair.
Meanwhile, Stevie Campbell's young side completed a good night for the Tangerines with a 4-1 win at Fraserburgh.
DUNFERMLINE: Scully, Millen, Whittle, Young, Morris, Johnston, Byrne, Kane, Buchan, Falkingham, Thomson
Subs: Husband, Dargo, Potter, Martin, El Bakhataoui, Williamson, Spence, Hrivnak
UNITED: McCallum; Watson (Souttar, 59), Robertson, Dillon (Trotman, 59), Butcher (Gunning, 59); Paton (Oyenuga, 59), Armstrong (Rankin, 59) Erskine (Gardyne, 59), Mackay-Steven (Dow, 59), Gauld (Ciftci, 59); Goodwillie
Goals from Ryan Gauld, David Goodwillie - in his first match on Scottish soil since returning on loan - and Ryan Dow gave United a morale-boosting win in front of around 1000 Arabs who made the journey to Fife eager to see their side's only pre-season fixture in Scotland.
The match gave most of the United faithful their first opportunity to catch a glimpse of new signings Paul Paton, Chris Erskine, Calum Butcher and Andrew Robertson, as well as Goodwillie.
Manager Jackie McNamara lined United up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Butcher partnering Sean Dillon in the heart of defence, and Keith Watson and Robertson at full back. Paton partnered Stuart Armstrong in midfield, with youngster Ryan Gauld in a free role behind Goodwillie, and Gary Mackay-Steven and Erskine at either side.
United had the first chance within the first five minutes when Gauld played a neat ball through to Goodwillie, who tried to take it round keeper Ryan Scully, only for the Pars stopper to make a good save at his feet.
Dunfermline started doggedly and were gradually working their way through the United defence when they took the lead with a fine goal after 11 minutes. A corner was cleared only to the edge of the penalty area and Josh Falkingham fired in a sweet strike which left McCallum with little chance.
After 22 minutes, United drew level with a stunning free kick from Ryan Gauld. After Armstrong went down on the edge of the box, the teenager stepped up and struck a beautiful left-footed effort into the back of the net.
After a sluggish start, United started to get going after half an hour and Mackay-Steven produced an outstanding bit of wing wizardry, before being scythed down cynically by Kerr Young. Armstrong then played a ball in from the right which Mackay-Steven met first time but Scully saved.
Much of United's good play was coming from Ryan Gauld, and the youngster was drawing defenders to him, which created space for others. In one such instance Andrew Robertson, who was a constant threat down the left, swung in a superb ball from the left which Goodwillie stooped to head just wide. Paul Paton then fired an effort just wide.
As the game edged towards half time, Gauld curved in a free kick from almost exactly the position as his first goal, only for it to dip marginally over the bar.
Within a few minutes of the restart, United came close to taking the lead when Armstrong ghosted past a few players on the left of the box and delivered a brilliant centre for Goodwillie, who sclaffed his close-range effort with the goal gaping.
A frantic minute then saw the ball smack Ryan Scully's post twice. First Robertson played in Mackay-Steven, who then centred for Goodwillie, only for defender Calum Morris to nip in ahead of him and batter an effort off his own post. United then attacked again and Erskine fired an effort off the post, then proceeded to nearly bundle the ball over the line.
With the Tangerines now well on top and playing some good passing movements they finally did take the lead in the 52nd minute as Goodwillie strode onto a through ball and drilled an effort low beyond Scully, giving Arabs the first chance to chant his name in nearly two years.
The away side were now playing some fine stuff, and a long winding run from Gauld led to him teeing up Erskine, who centred for Goodwillie to fire wide.
With the side finally playing the kind of free-flowing football they are more than capable of, Jackie McNamara then made eight changes as he attempted to assess the rest of his squad. On came Gavin Gunning and Neal Trotman into the heart of defence, with Souttar playing at right back, Rankin joining Paton in the centre of midfield, then Dow, Ciftci and Gardyne playing off Brian Graham.
It was to be Ryan Dow who made the most immediate impact, though, as he took his first touch of the game to control the ball then curled an outstanding effort from 25 yards into the bottom corner to give United a 3-1 lead on the hour mark.
With only a quarter of an hour to go former Queens Park left back Andrew Robertson was the only player from the United starting line-up still on the park, and he was showing no signs of tiring. Another great run took him to the left edge of the area, then his centre dropped just beyond the post.
Dunfermline pressed hard in the final minutes and McCallum needed to make a fantastic one handed stop from substitute Craig Dargo, and trialist Trotman had to make a good saving challenge at the feet of the same striker as the home side looked for a way back into the match. Trotman then showed himself to be a threat in attack as well, connecting well with a cross to glance a header into Scully's arms.
Full time: Dunfermline 1 United 3: A good outing for the United squad, with plenty of positives ahead of the start of the season.
Man of the match: United fans would be happy with the display of new left-back Andrew Robertson and midfield warrior Paul Paton, but it was young Ryan Gauld who stole the show with another scintillating performance full of attacking creativity and flair.
Meanwhile, Stevie Campbell's young side completed a good night for the Tangerines with a 4-1 win at Fraserburgh.
DUNFERMLINE: Scully, Millen, Whittle, Young, Morris, Johnston, Byrne, Kane, Buchan, Falkingham, Thomson
Subs: Husband, Dargo, Potter, Martin, El Bakhataoui, Williamson, Spence, Hrivnak
UNITED: McCallum; Watson (Souttar, 59), Robertson, Dillon (Trotman, 59), Butcher (Gunning, 59); Paton (Oyenuga, 59), Armstrong (Rankin, 59) Erskine (Gardyne, 59), Mackay-Steven (Dow, 59), Gauld (Ciftci, 59); Goodwillie
