Dundee United 1 Ross County 0

Neilson made four changes to the side that lost to Partick Thistle ten days ago, bringing on Booth, Stanton, Watson and Pawlett. United went on to close the gap on league leaders Ross County after an early goal from Calum Butcher. 

By Alasdair Marnoch

First Half: United started the game strongly registering their first shot on target in the opening minute of the game as McMullan raced down the left wing firing the ball into the arms of County's keeper from inside the box.

And within ten minutes Calum Butcher gave United the lead heading the ball into the back of the net from the front post following a corner.

After United’s quick start to the game things evened out between the top two sides, with most of the action happening in the midfield.

Things picked up a little for County on the half hour mark after Mark Connolly made a rash tackle on Michael Gardyne between the penalty box and the corner flag along the bye line. County tried to take advantage of the situation putting United under some pressure inside the box after the free kick, but United’s defence dealt with it well and the home side remained in front. 

Second Half: The first chance of the half fell quickly to County as Gardyne raced down the left wing and cut the ball inside to Stewart, but his close-range effort was blocked excellently by the legs of Siegrist. 

Cammy Smith was brought on to replace the injured Pawlett three minutes into the second half and he was quick to make an impression, firing the ball into the centre of the goal from just outside the box, unfortunately the keeper was there to stop it.

Neilson was forced to make another substitution nine minutes later due to injury as Connolly was replaced by Bouhenna.   

With twenty minutes left to go, Siegrest parried Lindsay’s shot from inside the box which allowed Gardyne to have a shot on goal, but Reynolds was there to clear the ball away, keeping United in front.  

On the 76th minute Cammy Smith made his way down the right wing crossing the ball into Nicky Clark, who was unlucky to fire his shot just wide of the target.

Clark was once again given another chance to bolster United’s lead, when he ran from the half way line to come one on one with the keeper but his low shot was blocked, and it remained one nil.

As the final whistle approached the game became very scrappy with Nicky Clark and County's Jamie Lindsay being shown yellow cards in the last couple of minutes of the game.

Man of the Match: Calum Butcher - he scored the only goal of the game early on and had a few chances throughout the game that he was unlucky to miss.

Dundee United: Siegrist, Booth, McMullan, Clark, Stanton, Robson, Butcher, Reynolds (c), Watson, Pawlett (Smith, 48’), Connolly (Bouhenna, 57’)

Subs not used: Laidlaw (GK), Fyvie, Gomis, Nesbitt, Harkes

Ross County: Fox, Fraser (c), Draper (Graham, 53’), Gardyne, Lindsay, Boyle, Mulin, Watson, Spence (Cowie, 66), Stewart (McManus, 76), Van Der Weg

Subs not used: Munro (GK), Kelly, Paton, Armstrong

Referee: Willie Collum

Attendance: 4,290