MATCH REPORT DUNDEE UNITED V MOTHERWELL

United welcomed Graham Alexander’s Motherwell to Tannadice for the first of three games in seven days, looking to extend their unbeaten run in the cinch Premiership to six matches.

The last meeting between the sides came at the end of last season, as Micky Mellon’s side played out an end-to-end 2-2 draw with the Steelmen, Devante Cole’s 90th minute equaliser denying United the three points. Tam Courts understandably made only one change to the side that mauled Hibernian at Easter Road, Academy Graduate Declan Glass dropping to the bench to accommodate Welsh international Dylan Levitt on his return from injury, who slotted into the base of United’s midfield triangle. Motherwell mirrored United’s 4-3-3 set up, aswell as the positional rotation from midfield to full-back with Callum Slattery frequently dropping into the left-back area to allow Nathan McGinley to bomb forward, Scott McMann and Jeando Fuchs doing the same for the hosts. 

The visitors came out of the traps flying and gave United a scare inside the first minute. McGinley’s searching ball in behind Ryan Edwards was caught by Tony Watt before it rolled over the by-line, who sent an in swinging cross towards Sean Goss. The midfielder stole in ahead of a United shirt to prod the ball low to Siegrist’s right, the United keeper springing across to palm the ball behind for a corner. 

Kevin Van Veen then fired a 30-yard free-kick over the bar from distance soon after as ‘Well continued to threaten United’s goal. 

United began to get a foothold in the game around the ten-minute mark, as both full-backs sent in crosses from a dangerous area. McMann’s was closest to finding a white shirt in the area, Nicky Clark running across Juhani Ojala’sblindside and just failing to connect with the ball.

As the half entered the midway point, the lively IlmariNiskanen was presented with a golden opportunity to put us ahead. The Finn capitalised on a mistake from Bevis Mugabiaround the half-way line and raced towards Liam Kelly in the Motherwell net. However, Niskanen’s second touch let him down as the ball headed slightly wider than he desired, allowing a combination of Kelly and Mugabi to smother his angled effort. 

United continued to turn up the heat on the steelmen, this time Nicky Clark receiving a Levitt pass between the lines before striking over the bar from distance. 

Eventually, the tangerine pressure would finally tell on the 35thminute as Ryan Edwards netted his second goal in as many games. Charlie Mulgrew whipped a free-kick towards the box that failed to beat the first man, the loose ball falling back to Levitt. The Welshman rolled the ball wide for Mulgrew who found himself in unfamiliar territory, but this didn’t faze the defender. Mulgrew executed a fabulous stepover to get away from Woolery down the right channel, and then hit a vicious cross to the back post for his defensive partner Edwards to rise above Stephen O’Donnell and crash the ball beyond the helpless Kelly.

Motherwell looked for a route back into the game, and almost found it on the stroke of half-time, as Woolery chopped inside McMann to open space for the shot, forcing the alert Siegrist into action at his near post. 

This was a sign of things to come with Motherwell taking control of proceedings in the infant stages of the second 45. Van Veen’s strike from the tightest of angles was met with a strong save by Siegrist and the ball deflected behind for a corner. The resultant set-piece was headed clear by Mulgrew, only as far as Liam Grimshaw who struck a powerful half-volley into the Shed. 

United relaxed into the second period around the hour mark and began to play some wonderful one touch football around the area. A triangular sequence of liquid football allowed Niskanen to take up a pocket of space just inside the 18. Levitt’s vision allowed him to find the winger, who took a touch to control before bending a right-footed effort just pat Kelly’s left post. 

A corner once again proved the source of a Motherwell opportunity, and brought out a phenomenal save from Siegrist. O’Donnell volleyed a United clearance back into the area, which was deflected on target by Mugabi from six-yards. The Steelmen couldn’t believe their eyes when the imposing figure of Siegrist leapt across his goal and clawed the ball off the line to keep his side ahead. Unfortunately, this wasn’t for long as Motherwell got themselves back on level terms from the spot, Watt rolling the ball to the left corner after an apparent foul on Mugabi by Siegrist. 

However, this setback didn’t discourage Courts’ men, and they showed admirable resilience to get themselves back in front just seven minutes later. McGinley somehow escaped a yellow card for deliberate handball, and Levitt delivered into the area. Mulgrew helped the ball on to Edwards at the back post who kneed back across to his colleague Mulgrew, the 35-year-old hooking the ball into the net despite the best efforts of McGinley, to spark Tannadice into life as he netted his first league goal for the club since February 18th 2006. 

Motherwell failed to recover from Mulgrew’s strike, and a weak Mugabi header from substitute Mark O’Hara’s cross was all they managed to muster before the full-time whistle sounded. 

The win sees United go joint top of the league with Hearts and Rangers, and the Shed are now unbeaten in six Premiership games. A tough test against resolute Livingston on Wednesday evening is next up for Courts’s Tangerine Army.