Dundee United kicked off their pre-season campaign with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Highland League side Brechin City.
The Terrors did the damage during a dominant first period at Glebe Park, with Ross Graham opening the scoring before academy youngsters Scott Constable and Harry Welsh rippled the net.
Debutants Zac Sapsford and Panutche Camara were close to marking their first outings in tangerine with a goal, albeit the latter’s performance in the engine room was a standout regardless.
Graham rises highest
Jim Goodwin handed starting berths to new signings Iurie Iuvo, Camara and Sapsford, while Graham was captain following the close-season departure of Ross Docherty.
And within three minutes of the action commencing, the skipper-for-the-day had given the visitors the lead, thundering an unstoppable header past Ross Matthews following a superb Kristijan Trapanovski free-kick.
Camara passed up a decent opportunity to find the net on his non-competitive debut, skewing a volley narrowly wide following a superb dash to the byline and chipped delivery by Trapanovski.
Three before the break
Fellow new boy Sapsford fired over the bar from a low Will Ferry cross as the Tangerines sought to turn the screw in the opening knockings.
United finally doubled their advantage on the half-hour mark when Graham slipped a wonderful pass to Ferry, whose clip to the back-post was perfect for Scotland U/19 international Constable to slot home.
Camara – a tireless box-to-box presence – fired off target once more following yet another mazy dribble by the excellent Trapanovski.
However, Goodwin’s charges did make it three before the break, with 17-year-old forward Welsh dancing into the box from the right wing before curling an unerring shot into the far corner.
All change after the break
An entirely altered side was fielded after the break, with fans afforded their first glimpse of Dutch defender Bert Esselink in a youthful Terrors’ XI.
Rory MacLeod and Richard Odada – the latter operating at centre-back – passed up chances to extend United’s lead, while there was a blow when Owen Stirton was forced off with an ankle injury; the only negative to a positive workout.
Dundee United, first half (3-4-3): Richards; Iovu, Shields, Graham; Constable, Camara, Sibbald, Ferry; Welsh, Sapsford, Trapanovski.
Dundee United, second half (3-4-3): Adams; Odada, Dewar, Esselink; Strain, Beattie (Holt 85), Sevelj, Gilligan; MacLeod, Stirton (Mudie 60), O’Donnell.
Conversation