MATCH REPORT | SAINT JOHNSTONE TAKE ALL THREE POINTS AT TANNADICE

DUNDEE UNITED 1-2 ST JOHNSTONE
CINCH PREMIERSHIP
3PM SATURDAY 1ST OCTOBER 2022
TANNADICE PARK

First-half goals from Stevie May and Melker Hallberg were enough to secure all three points for the Saints. 

Tony Watt pulled one back with less than 10 minutes on the clock, but United’s pressure in the dying moments failed to result in an equaliser.  

SADAT STARTS 

After an impressive cameo against Rangers, our number 20 was handed his first start this afternoon. 

Sadat Anaku was one of three changes made to the side that was defeated at Ibrox as Liam Fox took charge of his first official match as Head Coach. 

Sadat, Kieran Freeman and Steven Fletcher all featured in the starting eleven, replacing Glenn Middleton and Tony Watt, whilst Charlie Mulgrew missed out through injury.  

There was also an appearance on the bench for sixteen-year-old Samuel Cleall-Harding after impressing during first-team training. 

OPENING EXCHANGES

A number of early corners and balls into the area had United on the front foot in the opening 15 minutes. 

Teasing deliveries put the Saints backline under pressure but we were unable to engineer any chances that truly tested Remi Matthews. 

ST JOHNSTONE HIT THE DOUBLE

St Johnstone found themselves two goals to the good at the break thanks to goals from May and Hallberg. 

The opener came after a quarter of an hour when Andy Considine’s long through ball found May in behind the United back-line. The Saints number 7 composed himself before firing high beyond Saku in the United goal to give the visitors the lead. 

Callum Davidson's side had their second five minutes before the interval. May was involved once more as he broke free down the right flank before slipping the ball into Hallberg who made no mistake from inside the area. 

HALF CHANCES

The first half lacked any real threat from the Tangerines, but there were glimpses at goal. 

Fletcher and McGrath linked up well inside the Saints area. The Irish midfielder then looked to find Sadat in the box but his pass was intercepted at the feet of the attacker. 

Late into the first half, an exquisite turn from McGrath allowed him space down St Johnstone’s left. His teasing cross was delivered to the back post but Matthews was able to gather before it reached a United head.

Our first chance of the second half fell at the feet of Sadat. A clever run allowed him space in behind the Saints back-line but Matthews was out quickly to block a goalwards effort. 

Levitt then fashioned a chance with some neat footwork on the edge of the area. He pulled the ball onto his unfavored left foot but his effort at goal was comfortably dealt with by Matthews. 

St Johnstone also had their share of goal-scoring opportunities. 

Stevie May went close on two occasions. Firstly being denied by Saku who got down well to save at the feet of the Saints attacker.  May then curled an effort onto the crossbar from outside the box which would have put the game out of reach for United.

A late consolation

United eventually pulled one back with eight minutes to go through Tony Watt. 

Behich did extremely well to keep the ball alive inside the area before Matthews denied him with a smart block. The ball broke kindly for Watt on the rebound who lashed it home from close range. 

The late goal set up a tense finish at Tannadice but it proved to be a consolation as St Johnstone seen out the final ten minutes. 

POST-MATCH THOUGHTS 

Liam Fox highlighted his disappointment at giving away the lead for the second match in a row. 

We're disappointed to come in 2-0 down at half-time. But we can't give teams goals the way we're doing at the moment. 

Jamie McGrath also gave his thoughts to DUTV following the match. 

We knew we had to come out after half-time and get the next goal - and to be fair we did that. We kept knocking but didn’t really create a clear-cut chance to get the equaliser. 

TEAMS

Dundee United

Starting XI: Eriksson, Smith, Graham, Fletcher (Watt 56’), Edwards (c), Behich, McGrath, Levitt, A.Sadat (Niskanen 75'), Freeman (Middleton 69'), Harkes (Meekison 69')

Substitutes not used: Birighitti, McMann, Sibbald, Meekison, Cudjoe, Cleall-Harding

St Johnstone 

Starting XI: Matthews, Mitchell, Gordon, Considine, Montgomery, Hallberg, McGowan, Murphy (McLennan 70'), Clark (Bair 85'), May (Crawford 70'), Wright

Substitutes not used: Parish, Brown, Gallagher, Mahon, Kucheriavyi, O’Halloran

NEXT UP 

A New Firm clash at Tannadice awaits as Aberdeen arrive for a 6pm kick-off next Saturday. It’s the second of three home games in a row before Hibs travel North for a rearranged midweek fixture.