Dundee United beating Rangers while playing well below their best. It’s not a scenario that the Tangerines are familiar with. Nobody in the SPL is. But it’s an accurate reflection of Saturday’s clash between the teams at Tannadice, and perhaps a sign of the times.
Keith Watson, the scorer of United’s spectacular opening goal, admitted that the immediate post-match atmosphere in the home dressing room wasn’t what you would expect after a team has just defeated the Scottish champions.
He explained: ”A lot of people were shaking their heads, thinking ‘we were terrible’ but we still got a 2-1 win. The three points are what matters and we’ll gladly take them.
”It’s a hard situation for Rangers just now and I really feel for them, but I thought their team played well. For ourselves, you’ve got to beat the team that’s in front of you. Rangers have got a big squad and we knew it was going to be a tough game even though they had a lot of players out.”
There was certainly nothing sub-standard about Watson’s goal which broke the deadlock.
With eight minutes left in the first half the ball broke to the right-back on the edge of the box from a Paul Dixon throw-in. The strike from Watson came straight out of the sweet spot and it scorched past Allan McGregor into the back of the net.
Back in the team as a replacement for the suspended Robbie Neilson, Watson is developing a knack for the spectacular goal.
He said: ”After it bounced I just thought ‘I’m going to hit this’ and it flew into the top corner. As soon as it left my foot I knew it was going in. I was absolutely buzzing.
”I got a good one against Slask at the start of the season but I think this one tops it. My only other one though was a wee squiggler against Motherwell which sneaked into the corner.”
Watson’s goal was United’s first shot on target of the match. Up until that point a youthful Rangers side youngsters Ross Perry, Andrew Little, Andrew Mitchell and Rhys McCabe all started had enjoyed the better of the play.
Steven Davis had forced Dusan Pernis to turn a shot round his post early on, an Alejandro Bedoya header dipped just over the bar, and Salim Kerkar couldn’t keep a shot on target after he had battered his way through the middle of the United defence.
Rangers were made to pay for their lack of a killer touch in front of goal by Watson’s effort, and a more streetwise looking opposition made it 2-0 on 47 minutes when Gary Mackay-Steven worked himself into space on the left and delivered a ball into the box that Jon Daly guided home from point blank range.
It seemed an odd decision by Ibrox boss Ally McCoist to leave an experienced creative player like Sone Aluko on the bench, and the Nigerian’s introduction into the fray shortly after the second goal helped spark them back to life.
On the hour mark he bobbed and weaved his way out of a tight situation on the byeline and his shot from an acute angle beat Pernis with the help of a deflection off John Rankin.
United got chances for a third most notably when a Johnny Russell shot was diverted over by Lee McCulloch but it was Rangers who were the more urgent and attacking force in the last quarter of the match.
Little had two late sights at goal but one shot was blocked by Pernis and the other sailed over.
United will be a top-six side this season, but Watson and his team-mates will not be stopping there. They’re determined to sample European football for a third season in succession, and to make the adventure a longer lasting one if they get there.
He pointed out: ”That win was really important for finishing in the top six. Now we can try and build on it and secure fourth place and get into Europe again. We’ve been there in the last two years and we want to do better this time if we get there again.
”You want to finish as high as you can in the league, because if you do get into Europe you want to come into the competition as late as possible so you get a good break. It felt like we were just off and then back in again last summer.”
If the players were being self-critical of their showing, their manager certainly wasn’t. Peter Houston was happy to focus solely on a job well done.
He said: ”It’s a great result for us. Our boys came into the dressing room disappointed with their performance. Their standards are very very high.
”But I’ve told them there’s nothing to be sorry about. The most important thing for Dundee United at this stage in the season is winning. That’s a massive three points.
”I said at the beginning of the season that, with the number of players we lost, if this team finished top six it would be one of the biggest achievements in my time at the club. I still say that.
”I’ve got to credit my young players and the experienced guys for knuckling down and working hard, which they did again today. No matter what Rangers team is put out it’s no mean feat to beat them, and we’re delighted to do it.
”We might have been fortunate to take the three points though, because a young and spirited Rangers side did very well.”