Dundee United’s Championship campaign got off to a perfect start as they won at potential promotion rivals Inverness Caley Thistle.
A hard-fought game was decided when Paul McMullan netted from the penalty spot early in the first half after he’d been brought down by Joe Chalmers.
United made just one change from the side that edged Dundee last weekend in the race to top their Betfred Cup group.
Mark Durnan was suspended so Tam Scobbie moved inside to central defence with young Jamie Robson coming into the starting line up at left-back.
Having only joined up yesterday, new signing Fraser Fyvie wasn’t in the squad and another of the summer arrivals, Scott McDonald, was missing because of a ban carried over from his time at Motherwell last season.
It was a stuttering start by both sides but then the game burst into life with close things at either end. For ICT George Oakley struck a low angled drive that Harry Lewis saved well to his left and when United raced forward and Billy King squared the ball to Scott Fraser, he was denied by an even better stop from Mark Ridgers.
In the 13th minute United were ahead. Scott Fraser saw two efforts blocked and when the loose ball reached McMullan, he clipped it over defender Chalmers and waited for the challenge to come. When it did there was clear contact and the attacker went down.
Referee Craig Thomson immediately pointed to the spot, though there were furious home claims that McMullan had dived. To loud boos he stepped up and calmly sent Ridgers the wrong way.
The home fans were still furious and so was their team’s manager. And when John Robertson took his protests too far, he was sent to the stand for his trouble.
It might have been two for United soon after when Sam Stanton raced through, but just as he was about to pull the trigger Ian Vigurs pulled off a fine tackle to deny him.
Ricky Calder on the ICT left was causing United problems and when he cut in from the wing, his shot wasn’t too far over the bar.
Just before the break there was trouble in the box after Ross Draper went down. There were appeals for a penalty, but the referee waved play on and as he did United’s Tam Scobbie confronted the Inverness player, clearly accusing him of diving. Once calm was restored, both players were booked.
In first half stoppage time Inverness went close when an Oakley shot was deflected past by the outstretched leg of Scobbie.
Early in the second period it was United’s turn to go close and when McMullan played the ball to Stanton, his curling shot from the edge of the area flew over the bar.
Inverness were fighting hard to get level and when John Baird raided forward, Scott Allardice did well to cover across and snuff out the danger.
Another McMullan break for United looked dangerous until he was just a fraction too early with his pass inside for Stanton. He couldn’t make up the ground in time and the home defence cleared. At the other end a Liam Polworth shot whistled just over the United bar.
The Tangerines were having to do more defending than they would have liked and in attempt to get his team up the park boss Ray McKinnon sent on James Keatings for Allardice with just over 23 minutes left.
Then United missed a great chance to go two up. McMullan played the ball through for Keatings to chase and although home keeper Ridgers got to it first, he could only knock it straight out to Stanton. With the goal unguarded, he sent his first time effort from the edge of the box a foot too high.
It didn’t matter because United held out for the win and a perfect 47th birthday present for their manager.
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