Dev League Team St Mirren 2 Dundee United 1

The Young Terrors deserved better than to lose 2-1 in today’s Development League fixture at Renfrew’s New Western Park. By Peter Rundo The visitors were first to threaten, defender Jassem Sukar firing just over after three minutes. United continued to have the better of things and a Cammy Ballantyne effort was deflected inches over on 26 minutes. So it was very much against the run of play that Saints went ahead after 32 minutes. Sukar was harshly adjudged have to handled when blocking Jason McGrath’s shot from close range and Alan Gow converted the resultant penalty. The second half was a similar story with the visitors creating by far and away the greater number of chances. Ballantyne was only denied by a finger-tip save by home keeper Reece Willison 13 minutes after the restart. And only an offside flag prevented Justin Johnson’s shot counting just after the hour mark. But as was the case in the opening half, the Paisley side again scored on the break, Conor O’Keefe side-footing home Jordan Stewart’s low cross midway through the second half. Two minutes later, Jordan Garden sent a header flashing past the post as the Tannadice side looked to respond. A Coote shot was cleared off the line with seven minutes left and four minutes later United did get some reward when the referee mysteriously awarded a hotly disputed penalty which Johnson duly converted. Dundee United: McGovern, Tumlilty, Robson, Ballantyne, H Souttar, Sukar, Johnson, B Smith, Morrell (Duke 76), Garden (Taylor 76), Coote. Subs not used: Booth, Davie, McNaughton, Allardice, Ritchie.