ST JOHNSTONE 0 UNITED 0

It was a stalemate in the Tayside derby at Mcdiarmid Park as United recorded a third successive clean sheet.

United - giving Marc McNulty his first start alongside Lawrence Shankland and Nicky Clark - started the brighter. In the third minute, McNulty almost had the dream full debut. Good work by Clark saw him win possession on the edge of the area and feed Shankland out on the right. The Scotland man dinked a ball to the back post where McNulty was poised. Despite a fresh air attempt with his first effort, he managed to control the ball and create space before striking a blistering attempt just over the bar.

McNulty and Shankland then threatened the home goal with efforts as the Perth side struggled to prevent them operating in the gaps between defence and midfield in the opening stages. United dominated possession and territory for the first 20 minutes before the Perth side slowly became stronger.

United's rearguard looked solid against the St Johnstone attack and when required Benji Siegrist was again looking like one of the best goalkeepers in Scottish football.

The biggest chance in the first half probably fell to saints defender Jason Kerr who fashioned space for a free header from a corner in the 27th minute and headed wide from around 7 yards.

The second half started similarly to the first with United in the ascendancy, but with little attacking threat and in truth it was typical of the nature of the game as both teams cancelled each other out with the game being played mainly in the midfield area.

Siegrist again showed his value to United with an incredible low save in the 72nd minute. Saints main threat on the day - Wotherspoon - struck a powerful effort that was blocked at source by Connolly but still made its way towards the bottom left-hand corner of the United goal. Benji threw himself across goal to tip wide.

As both teams continued to show endeavour and desire the game was sliding towards a stalemate but not before Siegrist again showed his value with a 90th minute save from Davidson's bullet header.

After the match, Manager Micky Mellon hailed the defensive strength that has built over recent games while acknowledging the need to create more going forward.

The Gaffer said: "We are pleased to get a clean sheet away from home because we have worked hard on getting that platform to move forward in this league. What we have to do now is to get it right in the final third, but we know how to do that. We are a team that wants to keep progressing and we will do that but picking up clean sheets gives us that base."

United: Siegrist, Powers (cautioned 31), Connolly, Reynolds, McNulty (Smith 70), Clark, Edwards, Robson, Bolton, Harkes, Shankland

Unused Substitutes: Deniz (GK), McMullan, King, Fotheringham, Appere, Neilson, Watson, Hutchinson

Saints: Clark, Kerr, McCart, Gordon, Tanser, McNamara, Davidson, Bryson (McCann 90(cautioned 90)), Wotherspoon, Conway (O’Halloran 86), May (Hendry 65)

Unused Substitutes: Parish (GK), Rooney, Booth, Craig, Kane

Referee: Andrew Dallas

Next up for United is a home match versus Ross County this coming Saturday.