FIXTURE INFORMATION | DUNDEE UNITED B V DUNFERMLINE ATHLETIC B
26th November 2024
Dundee United picked up their first point of the new Scottish Premiership season after a blood-and-thunder battle against newly-promoted Partick Thistle.
The sides couldn't be separated in a goalless draw which belied the wealth of strong opportunities at both ends of the park.
As he returned to his former club, manager Jackie McNamara sprung a surprise by leaving winger Gary Mackay-Steven on the bench, opting instead for youngsters Ryan Dow and Ryan Gauld, alongside new signing Nadir Ciftci, behind returning striker David Goodwillie.
Ex-Partick player Paul Paton made his debut alongside Stuart Armstong, while fellow former Firhill league winner Chris Erskine was left on the bench. Left-back Andrew Robertson and centre-half Calum Butcher were also handed debuts, alongside Sean Dillon and Keith Watson in defence.
United, bellowed on by an extraordinary turnout of nearly 3000 Arabs on a Friday evening in Glasgow, had the first chance, as debutant Nadir Ciftci angled a ball wide to Ryan Gauld, who tried his luck from a difficult position only for goalkeeper Scott Fox to parry away.
The home side then struck back with four consecutive corners, each of which were dealt with well by the United rearguard.
The United fans had a scare when a deflected effort landed in the side netting, only for the resultant corner to be nodded well over the bar.
Thistle stopper Scott Fox was the first keeper to make a real save shortly after the quarter hour mark, as he parried away a Goodwillie header following a Watson cross. He was then called into action immediately as he tipped over a long-range Paton drive for a corner.
Both sides were pressing in the opening half hour but neither were managing to fashion clear-cut chances. One counter-attack nearly worked for United as Andrew Robertson skilfully played the ball out of defence before releasing Goodwillie, but the Scotland international fired wide. Thistle then threatened when a dangerous cross from the left which only just evaded the onrushing Kris Doolan, then midfielder James Craigen fired just wide from long-range.
United's next chance came when Robertson again pressed down the left wing, before delivering a threatening ball which Goodwillie headed against the ground.
Radoslaw Cierzniak then had to show tremendous reflexes as a cross from James Craigen was deflected off Keith Watson then Sean Dillon, with the Polish keeper having to parry the ball behind.
As the sides emerged for the second half, both managers would have been eager to see more flowing football after a stop-start first period where the main attacking players failed to get a foothold in the match.
In order to add some attacking spice, manager McNamara brought on Mackay-Steven for Ciftci, with Gauld deployed in a more central role.
United looked eager from the start of the second half and Mackay-Steven was first to threaten, with Fox saving an effort low to his right, before Goodwillie twisted and turned following an outstanding through ball from Paton before firing wide. The 2010 Scottish Cup winner was starting to cause all sorts of problems and Fox had to save well as he beat his man on the left before fizzing in a dangerous effort.
It was now end-to-end action and Balatoni dipped an effort over the United bar following a couple of corners for the home side. On the hour mark, the home side attacked again, with Doolan firing in a long-range effort which Cierzniak had to parry over the bar. The corner came to nothing but United countered and a low effort from Goodwillie had to be saved under pressure by Fox.
Chris Erskine made his entrance shortly after the hour mark, to an appreciative reception from those in the home crowd who remembered his efforts in recent years. Taylor-Sinclair then powered in an effort which fizzed dangerously just over the United bar. At the other end, Dow showed fine technique to chip an effort only just over the Thistle bar.
Midway through the second half, United pressed again and Goodwillie slid in on Fox following a through ball, only to stab in an effort which couldn't quite reach the Thistle goal. There was then a flashpoint, with Butcher sliding into a challenge which earned him a booking - only for replays to then show he had won the ball.
McNamara threw on ex-Raith front man Brian Graham for Ryan Dow as he chased the three points. He made an immediate impact, firmly heading a Robertson cross which Fox had to parry behind.
Thistle were next to threaten with ex-Dundee man John Baird, on as a sub, nodding in an effort which Cierzniak had to fist over as the game entered the final quarter hour. At the other end, though, United attacked and an Erskine effort was deflected to the feet of Graham, who powered in an effort which Fox saved well.
Both sides were looking dangerous as the game entered the final stages and Butcher slid in two-footed in the box to deny a goalscoring opportunity, leading to vocal shouts for a penalty from the home support.
Robertson then came to the rescue to deflect a dangerous Baird cross over the bar for a corner, only for the United backline to comfortably deal with the resultant cross.
As the game entered four minutes of injury time, Baird so nearly grabbed his side a winner but he couldn't quite connect with a dangerous ball across the United goal from the right. Bannigan then battered in a 30 yard drive which Cierzniak had to parry away as Thistle pressed for a winner.
Full time: Partick 0 United 0
A hard-fought match which would give both sets of supporters encouragement. Against a side determined to mark their return to the top league, United battled well and had the chances to get the three points. However, in the end manager Jackie McNamara would be happy to leave his former home ground with one point.
Man of the match: Paul Paton. The ex-Partick skipper popped up everywhere on the pitch and put in the kind of energetic performance which suggested he will be a key member of the United side in the season ahead.
Attendance: 7822
Partick: Fox, O'Donnell, Taylor-Sinclair, Welsh, Muirhead, Balatoni, Fraser, Brannigan, Craigen (Elliot, 64), Lawless, Doolan (Baird, 73)
Subs not used: Gallacher, Baird, Kerr, Forbes, Osbourne, Elliot, Mukendi
United: Cierzniak; Watson, Robertson, Dillon, Butcher; Armstrong, Paton; Dow (Graham, 72), Gauld (Erskine, 63), Ciftci (Mackay-Steven, 46); Goodwillie
Subs: Erskine, Rankin, Souttar, Gardyne, McCallum
The sides couldn't be separated in a goalless draw which belied the wealth of strong opportunities at both ends of the park.
As he returned to his former club, manager Jackie McNamara sprung a surprise by leaving winger Gary Mackay-Steven on the bench, opting instead for youngsters Ryan Dow and Ryan Gauld, alongside new signing Nadir Ciftci, behind returning striker David Goodwillie.
Ex-Partick player Paul Paton made his debut alongside Stuart Armstong, while fellow former Firhill league winner Chris Erskine was left on the bench. Left-back Andrew Robertson and centre-half Calum Butcher were also handed debuts, alongside Sean Dillon and Keith Watson in defence.
United, bellowed on by an extraordinary turnout of nearly 3000 Arabs on a Friday evening in Glasgow, had the first chance, as debutant Nadir Ciftci angled a ball wide to Ryan Gauld, who tried his luck from a difficult position only for goalkeeper Scott Fox to parry away.
The home side then struck back with four consecutive corners, each of which were dealt with well by the United rearguard.
The United fans had a scare when a deflected effort landed in the side netting, only for the resultant corner to be nodded well over the bar.
Thistle stopper Scott Fox was the first keeper to make a real save shortly after the quarter hour mark, as he parried away a Goodwillie header following a Watson cross. He was then called into action immediately as he tipped over a long-range Paton drive for a corner.
Both sides were pressing in the opening half hour but neither were managing to fashion clear-cut chances. One counter-attack nearly worked for United as Andrew Robertson skilfully played the ball out of defence before releasing Goodwillie, but the Scotland international fired wide. Thistle then threatened when a dangerous cross from the left which only just evaded the onrushing Kris Doolan, then midfielder James Craigen fired just wide from long-range.
United's next chance came when Robertson again pressed down the left wing, before delivering a threatening ball which Goodwillie headed against the ground.
Radoslaw Cierzniak then had to show tremendous reflexes as a cross from James Craigen was deflected off Keith Watson then Sean Dillon, with the Polish keeper having to parry the ball behind.
As the sides emerged for the second half, both managers would have been eager to see more flowing football after a stop-start first period where the main attacking players failed to get a foothold in the match.
In order to add some attacking spice, manager McNamara brought on Mackay-Steven for Ciftci, with Gauld deployed in a more central role.
United looked eager from the start of the second half and Mackay-Steven was first to threaten, with Fox saving an effort low to his right, before Goodwillie twisted and turned following an outstanding through ball from Paton before firing wide. The 2010 Scottish Cup winner was starting to cause all sorts of problems and Fox had to save well as he beat his man on the left before fizzing in a dangerous effort.
It was now end-to-end action and Balatoni dipped an effort over the United bar following a couple of corners for the home side. On the hour mark, the home side attacked again, with Doolan firing in a long-range effort which Cierzniak had to parry over the bar. The corner came to nothing but United countered and a low effort from Goodwillie had to be saved under pressure by Fox.
Chris Erskine made his entrance shortly after the hour mark, to an appreciative reception from those in the home crowd who remembered his efforts in recent years. Taylor-Sinclair then powered in an effort which fizzed dangerously just over the United bar. At the other end, Dow showed fine technique to chip an effort only just over the Thistle bar.
Midway through the second half, United pressed again and Goodwillie slid in on Fox following a through ball, only to stab in an effort which couldn't quite reach the Thistle goal. There was then a flashpoint, with Butcher sliding into a challenge which earned him a booking - only for replays to then show he had won the ball.
McNamara threw on ex-Raith front man Brian Graham for Ryan Dow as he chased the three points. He made an immediate impact, firmly heading a Robertson cross which Fox had to parry behind.
Thistle were next to threaten with ex-Dundee man John Baird, on as a sub, nodding in an effort which Cierzniak had to fist over as the game entered the final quarter hour. At the other end, though, United attacked and an Erskine effort was deflected to the feet of Graham, who powered in an effort which Fox saved well.
Both sides were looking dangerous as the game entered the final stages and Butcher slid in two-footed in the box to deny a goalscoring opportunity, leading to vocal shouts for a penalty from the home support.
Robertson then came to the rescue to deflect a dangerous Baird cross over the bar for a corner, only for the United backline to comfortably deal with the resultant cross.
As the game entered four minutes of injury time, Baird so nearly grabbed his side a winner but he couldn't quite connect with a dangerous ball across the United goal from the right. Bannigan then battered in a 30 yard drive which Cierzniak had to parry away as Thistle pressed for a winner.
Full time: Partick 0 United 0
A hard-fought match which would give both sets of supporters encouragement. Against a side determined to mark their return to the top league, United battled well and had the chances to get the three points. However, in the end manager Jackie McNamara would be happy to leave his former home ground with one point.
Man of the match: Paul Paton. The ex-Partick skipper popped up everywhere on the pitch and put in the kind of energetic performance which suggested he will be a key member of the United side in the season ahead.
Attendance: 7822
Partick: Fox, O'Donnell, Taylor-Sinclair, Welsh, Muirhead, Balatoni, Fraser, Brannigan, Craigen (Elliot, 64), Lawless, Doolan (Baird, 73)
Subs not used: Gallacher, Baird, Kerr, Forbes, Osbourne, Elliot, Mukendi
United: Cierzniak; Watson, Robertson, Dillon, Butcher; Armstrong, Paton; Dow (Graham, 72), Gauld (Erskine, 63), Ciftci (Mackay-Steven, 46); Goodwillie
Subs: Erskine, Rankin, Souttar, Gardyne, McCallum
