Dundee United didn’t deserve to win this game but they should have expected to have done so.
The Tangerines went into the home clash with Inverness Caley Thistle in good shape, having won down at Queen of the South on Tuesday.
There was a rare feeling of optimism inside Tannadice – until the game started.
They played, for long spells, as if they had nothing at stake.
To be frank, United were absolutely awful in the first half.
While ICT peppered their goal with headers and shots, the Tangerines’ only decent opportunity came on six minutes when Thomas Mikkelsen couldn’t convert Matty Smith’s cross.
When man-of-the-match Iain Vigurs nodded the visitors ahead on the half-hour, it was the very least they deserved.
United had to improve in the second period and they did – a wee bit.
They made an attacking substitution by taking off holding midfielder Paul Quinn and replacing him with striker Scott McDonald, who played alongside Mikkelsen.
It was the Dane who grabbed the equaliser out of the blue when he stuck a boot out at the far post to redirect Jamie Robson’s cross into the net.
They had chances thereafter, with both Willo Flood and Paul McMullan forcing ICT keeper Mark Ridgers to push shots over the bar.
For too long, though, they played second fiddle to the Highlanders, who looked anything but the third-bottom side in the Championship.
Arguably the highlight of the whole afternoon for the United supporters was the sight of comeback man Scott Fraser coming off the bench five minutes from time and let’s hope he can bring some style and poise to their play in the weeks ahead.
