Dundee United progressed to the last-16 of the Scottish Cup with a 3-0 victory over University of Stirling on Saturday.
It was far from pretty at times, but the Tangerines ultimately got the job done courtesy of three excellent goals from Aziz Behich, Jamie McGrath and Glenn Middleton; all strikes of real quality.
And from the young duo who impressed to the visitors’ fine following, Courier Sport analyses the action from Tannadice.
Did any fringe players grasp their opportunity?
Liam Fox showed UoS ample respect.
There were no widespread alterations — and the changes he did make did little to weaken the side, on paper.
The inclusion of 16-year-old Rory MacLeod, making his second senior start, was the only selection that would truly raise eyebrows if this had been a Premiership fixture.
And young MacLeod played well.
He contributed to the opening goal with some good hold-up play and fizzed a fine effort narrowly wide of the post. He nodded a header off target after the break.
It was a bright showing from the Scotland under-17 international who has caught the eye of Southampton, Newcastle and West Ham United.
Mathew Cudjoe, thrown on for a 15-minute cameo, was similarly lively. Within seconds of his introduction, he had skipped past one defender with a slick step-over and surged towards goal.
The Ghanaian was direct and positive, and brings a unique threat to the United side — he is unlike any other attacking midfield proposition they possess and, while raw, is fun to watch.
We need to see much more of Cudjoe to truly assess his pros and cons, but he undoubtedly possesses talent and swagger.
Charlie Mulgrew was solid enough and his leadership shone through, spearheading first-half talks following a sluggish start.
Ross Graham was rusty and, particularly in the opening 45 minutes, his distribution was poor. Ilmari Niskanen and Peter Pawlett were also introduced but struggled to get involved. The latter picked up a booking for simulation.
Jamie McGrath magic
McGrath, a former student footballer himself, illuminated the encounter with a moment of magic.
His scissor-kick to make it 2-0 was a moment of technical brilliance in a fixture that, until that point, had been one-paced and forgettable.
McGrath has enjoyed — and will enjoy — more impactful performances for United.
He was actually a little timid in the heart of midfield and wasteful in possession during the first period. By his own high standards, that it.
Three goals and into the hat 🎩@ScottishCup | #UTDUoS | #DUFC pic.twitter.com/toIh71ImaG
— Dundee United FC (@dundeeunitedfc) January 21, 2023
However, getting 68 minutes in the tank on his first start following a calf injury will be invaluable and his quality in the final third — recently spotlighted by Courier Sport — ultimately shone through.
Dylan Levitt: a sight for sore eyes
Levitt’s name on the team sheet was a welcome one.
The Wales international missed out on United’s last Premiership fixture with a slight hamstring strain.
Whether he would have played in Wednesday’s game against Livingston? We’ll never know.
However, he was afforded the full 90 minutes against the stoic students of Stirling and cruised through the contest with no ill effects.
It was not a performance that will live long in the memory — in common with the majority of his teammates — but will get him nice and sharp for next week’s showdown with Celtic; just the sort of occasion the classy ex-Manchester United kid thrives upon.
UoS supporters did their team proud — and vice-versa
University of Stirling were backed by 1,047 supporters. Unsurprisingly, the demographic skewed young and the crowd swelled with men, women and children.
A real mix, all creating a right din.
However hackneyed it may sound, they did their team proud and created a carnival atmosphere in their section of an otherwise sparsely populated Tannadice.
And vice-versa. The players did them proud.
UoS deserve better than to be spoken about solely as a band of plucky kids who enjoyed the occasion. They are that — but so much more.
They went toe-to-toe with Premiership opponents and for 60 minutes, largely matched them.
Jason Jarvis stung the palms of Mark Birighitti; James Stokes had a shout for a penalty; Ben McIver-Redwood tested Charlie Mulgrew; James Berry and Ben Heal were tidy and tireless in the engine room — the list goes on.
As illustrated by their position three points off the summit of the Lowland League, this is a proper team and they proved that in Tayside.
No-one will remember this if United reach Hampden
The spectacle was always going to be about the University of Stirling.
They were the story; the fairytale.
FT // Dundee United 3-0 University of Stirling
Comfortable in the end as the visitors tired but for 60 minutes @StirlingUniFC were excellent and rightly take plenty of acclaim from 1,047 fans#DUFC, meanwhile, take their place in the last-16 🎩
— Alan Temple (@alanftemple) January 21, 2023
But United had a job to do and, however unspectacular it was, they did it.
There were some nervous moments and plenty of lulls — but no true scares.
It was professional enough.
And United are in the hat for the last-16. Such is Scottish Cup football, no-one will remember the finer points of their campaign if the Tangerines march on to Hampden.
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