First Team
MATCHDAY PROGRAMME | PARTICK THISTLE
3rd May 2024
United moved level on points at the top of the Ladbrokes Championship after a hard fought, single-goal victory over Dunfermline Athletic at Tannadice this evening.
By Gordon Aitchison
Ray McKinnon made a single enforced change from the team that won convincingly in Dumfries at the weekend, Jamie Robson coming in for the injured Paul Dixon at left back. Dunfermline started unchanged from the side which drew with Raith Rovers on Saturday.
If the fans expected end to end action, as the two teams had served up in the last game, they were sadly let down in a poor first half. United showed none of the attacking flair that served them so well against Queen of the South. Dunfermline looked solid at the back but failed to test the United defence to any degree in what can only be described as a drab affair.
The only flash point in a fiercely contested half arrived five minutes before the break. Scott Fraser put in a meaty, but fair, challenge on Higginbotham, which saw the Dunfermline man require treatment. A minute later Nate Wedderburn decided to take a little retribution against Tony Andreu in the middle of the park. As the United attacker took control of the ball the center half flew through the player in what can only be described a reckless manner, sparking all sorts in the center circle. Once the dust had settled the Englishman saw red and was promptly followed into the book by Obadeyi and El Alagui for their part in the altercation afterwards.
United ended the half the stronger, with the man advantage, both Murray and Andreu failing though to test Murdoch in the Dunfermline goal.
Half Time: United 0 - 0 Dunfermline
Ray McKinnon gave the starting eleven a further fifteen minutes after the break and, despite being a man to the good and almost incessant pressure, changes came just after the hour Charlie Telfer and Tope Obadeyi making way for van der Velden and Cammy Smith in an attempt to break the stalemate.
Dunfermline were now taking every opportunity to slow up play, whether a goal kick or throw in, they had decided that a point was an acceptable outcome from the game. Murdoch earned a booking in the seventieth minute for delaying the game despite numerous warnings from referee Robertson.
Murray flashed a header wide and Smith saw a curling effort drift over the top as United pushed for the go ahead goal. Murray then ballooned an effort high into the Eddie Thompson stand from eighteen yards.
Dunfermline had a breakaway in the seventy sixth minute, ex United man El Alagui striding through on goal but his lay off to Clark was wayward and the move broke down.
Andreu and Fraser could both have slipped in teammates, choosing instead to have weak efforts at goal. Smith then set up Andreu as United lay siege on the Dunfermline goal.
Fraser then saw two chances disappear in as many seconds; played in by Flood, his shot was well blocked by the keeper, with the ball at his feet he shot towards goal again, but this effort was deflected away by a Dunfermline defender.
From the resultant corner however United broke the deadlock as the ball fell to Smith with his back to goal, his shot on the turn was deflected to the back post and Simon Murray was on hand to lash the ball high into the net from three yards.
Murray was replaced by Spittal almost immediately after scoring and Cammy Bell was booked for protesting a little too strongly to the referee after another juicy challenge by Geggan on Fraser whilst McMullan replaced Higginbotham for Dunfermline.
United, happy to retain possession, saw out the remainder of the game, despite four minutes of stoppage time and Bell's hands being stung by a Nicky Clark effort with the last kick of the match.
Full Time: United 1 – 0 Dunfermline
Man of the match: In a stuttering United performance Willow Flood was ever alert and tireless in his running.Teams:
United: Bell ©, Durnan, Murray (Spittal 80 ), Fraser, Obadeyi ( Smith 63 ), Telfer ( van der Velden 63 ), Edjenguele, Flood, Andreu, van der Struijk, Robson
Unused Subs: Zwick, Dillon, Donaldson, Toshney
Dunfermline: Murdoch, Talbot, Martin, Ashcroft, Herron, Geggan ©, Wedderburn, Clark, El Alagui, Cardle ( McCabe 45 ), Higginbotham ( McMullan 88)
Unused Subs: Hutton, Paton, Fordyce, Smith, , Moffat
Referee: Don Robertson
Crowd: 5,996
The only flash point in a fiercely contested half arrived five minutes before the break. Scott Fraser put in a meaty, but fair, challenge on Higginbotham, which saw the Dunfermline man require treatment. A minute later Nate Wedderburn decided to take a little retribution against Tony Andreu in the middle of the park. As the United attacker took control of the ball the center half flew through the player in what can only be described a reckless manner, sparking all sorts in the center circle. Once the dust had settled the Englishman saw red and was promptly followed into the book by Obadeyi and El Alagui for their part in the altercation afterwards.
United ended the half the stronger, with the man advantage, both Murray and Andreu failing though to test Murdoch in the Dunfermline goal.
Half Time: United 0 - 0 Dunfermline
Ray McKinnon gave the starting eleven a further fifteen minutes after the break and, despite being a man to the good and almost incessant pressure, changes came just after the hour Charlie Telfer and Tope Obadeyi making way for van der Velden and Cammy Smith in an attempt to break the stalemate.
Dunfermline were now taking every opportunity to slow up play, whether a goal kick or throw in, they had decided that a point was an acceptable outcome from the game. Murdoch earned a booking in the seventieth minute for delaying the game despite numerous warnings from referee Robertson.
Murray flashed a header wide and Smith saw a curling effort drift over the top as United pushed for the go ahead goal. Murray then ballooned an effort high into the Eddie Thompson stand from eighteen yards.
Dunfermline had a breakaway in the seventy sixth minute, ex United man El Alagui striding through on goal but his lay off to Clark was wayward and the move broke down.
Andreu and Fraser could both have slipped in teammates, choosing instead to have weak efforts at goal. Smith then set up Andreu as United lay siege on the Dunfermline goal.
Fraser then saw two chances disappear in as many seconds; played in by Flood, his shot was well blocked by the keeper, with the ball at his feet he shot towards goal again, but this effort was deflected away by a Dunfermline defender.
From the resultant corner however United broke the deadlock as the ball fell to Smith with his back to goal, his shot on the turn was deflected to the back post and Simon Murray was on hand to lash the ball high into the net from three yards.
Murray was replaced by Spittal almost immediately after scoring and Cammy Bell was booked for protesting a little too strongly to the referee after another juicy challenge by Geggan on Fraser whilst McMullan replaced Higginbotham for Dunfermline.
United, happy to retain possession, saw out the remainder of the game, despite four minutes of stoppage time and Bell's hands being stung by a Nicky Clark effort with the last kick of the match.
Full Time: United 1 – 0 Dunfermline
Man of the match: In a stuttering United performance Willow Flood was ever alert and tireless in his running.Teams:
United: Bell ©, Durnan, Murray (Spittal 80 ), Fraser, Obadeyi ( Smith 63 ), Telfer ( van der Velden 63 ), Edjenguele, Flood, Andreu, van der Struijk, Robson
Unused Subs: Zwick, Dillon, Donaldson, Toshney
Dunfermline: Murdoch, Talbot, Martin, Ashcroft, Herron, Geggan ©, Wedderburn, Clark, El Alagui, Cardle ( McCabe 45 ), Higginbotham ( McMullan 88)
Unused Subs: Hutton, Paton, Fordyce, Smith, , Moffat
Referee: Don Robertson
Crowd: 5,996
