After Peter Houston’s men follow up their midweek cup heroics with an excellent victory over Motherwell on Saturday, Ian Roache reports that this season is in real danger of becoming one to remember for Dundee United.
No one at Tannadice will be resting on their laurels, especially with a tough trip to Easter Road awaiting them on Wednesday.
However, they are safely ensconced in the semi-finals of the Active Nation Scottish Cup and, after producing their best league performance of the season on Saturday, are carrying momentum into the final weeks of campaign as the race for Europe hots up.
To merely win against a good Motherwell side — hitherto the SPL’s form team — would have been satisfying enough in the wake of United’s cup triumph against Rangers and the still lengthy casualty list at the club.
To have claimed a 3-0 success would have been a great achievement, given the Steelmen had gone 12 games unbeaten.
However, United did the above despite playing with only 10 men for 74 minutes of the match, after full-back Paul Dixon had been red-carded.
That is an achievement of which manager Peter Houston and his players should be proud as they prepare for Wednesday’s meeting with Hibs, who sit a place below them in fourth spot in the table.
Saturday’s match saw Houston overtake his predecessor Craig Levein’s amount of games in charge this campaign, with the former having been boss for 19 and the latter 18.
Given the understandable concern that swept through Tannadice following Levein’s departure for the Scotland job, it is perhaps worth noting that Houston has just pipped him in the number of wins — 10 to nine.
So it is not a shock to find support for “Houstie” to remain in his post beyond the end of the season.Fantastic”He has done a fantastic job so I think he will get it after the end of the season, unless Celtic come in and take him,” said United midfielder Danny Swanson in reference to the Hoops having sacked Tony Mowbray in midweek.
“I can’t see anyone else getting the job here.
“He is happy to attack as a manager and, while most people would sit in for the draw after going down to 10 men, he is not like that.
“He told us to keep going like we were and it paid off.
“When we went down to 10 players we were hoping for a draw but when we got the goal we thought that we could win it.
“When we got the other ones I think they ran out of ideas a bit, so it was a great day for us.
“Motherwell must have wondered what was going on.
“It is probably our best result of the season.”
It may have been the best, but it was also the toughest physically for Swanson.
“Personally, it was the hardest game I have played in,” he said.
“When they were passing the ball around it was hard work.
“Prince Buaben and Craig Conway were beasts — they ran up and down all day and put in a great shift.
“The manager told Prince at half-time he was playing really well and I thought he was immense in the second half.
“He really is playing out of his skin at the moment.
“With Morgaro (Gomis) not being fit you wondered what effect that was going to have on him because they play together so well, but Prince really stepped up to the plate.”
It doesn’t get any easier on United, with their latest test a midweek trip to Leith to tackle Hibs.
However, Swanson is confident they can cope with that challenge.Momentum”The lads have really dug in, the coaching staff are brilliant and everyone is so happy to be here,” he added.
“We have a bit of momentum now.
“People will be saying we will be tired because of the amount of games we have had but we have a decent-sized squad and everyone is up for it.
“The game on Wednesday will be massive. It is a great chance to get a wee bit ahead if we can win.”
Swanson’s 73rd-minute goal, which was fit to grace any game, saw the wee man take a pass from David Goodwillie, run into space created by the decoy run of Jon Daly then shoot past keeper John Ruddy.
“Jon made a great run for the goal and he was reminding me of his contribution in the dressing-room after the game,” said Swanson.
Motherwell had been the brighter side in the 16 minutes before Dixon deservedly got sent off for his reckless challenge on Jim O’Brien, but United went on to manage superbly with 10 men.
“I don’t know if they thought it was an injustice,” said manager Houston.
“I think Dicker was slightly later as the two of them went to challenge for the ball.
“I could have brought Dicker’s sock up because it’s ripped right down the shin area.Honest guy”I’m not meaning Jim has gone over the ball because he is an honest guy, and we had him here, but I just thought it was the coming together of two players and Dicker is the one that got a straight red card.
“However, after that I just felt there were another few tackles that went amiss and there wasn’t a yellow card in the game, which surprised me a wee bit.”
The hosts took the lead on 38 minutes when Andy Webster’s downward header was helped over the line by Goodwillie.
Buaben made it 2-0 just before half-time when Ruddy failed to deal with a passback from Stephen Craigan.
The United man pounced, won possession then coolly picked his spot.
“It was just one of those days and it is a lonely place being a goalkeeper when something like that happens,” said Well number one Ruddy.
“The ball bobbled a wee bit, it hit off my toe and got away from me. But I am big enough and ugly enough to just get on with it.”
Motherwell manager Craig Brown agreed that Dixon’s ordering-off worked against his team.
“At 11-a-side we were as good if not better than United,” he said.
“The 10 should be an advantage to the team with 11, but we went down to 10 men against Falkirk and dug in, and you saw what Rangers did with nine men.
“I was very disappointed we didn’t cash in.”
It may have been the best, but it was also the toughest physically for Swanson.
“Personally, it was the hardest game I have played in,” he said.
“When they were passing the ball around it was hard work.
“Prince Buaben and Craig Conway were beasts — they ran up and down all day and put in a great shift.
“The manager told Prince at half-time he was playing really well and I thought he was immense in the second half.
“He really is playing out of his skin at the moment.
“With Morgaro (Gomis) not being fit you wondered what effect that was going to have on him because they play together so well, but Prince really stepped up to the plate.”
It doesn’t get any easier on United, with their latest test a midweek trip to Leith to tackle Hibs.
However, Swanson is confident they can cope with that challenge.Momentum”The lads have really dug in, the coaching staff are brilliant and everyone is so happy to be here,” he added.
“We have a bit of momentum now.
“People will be saying we will be tired because of the amount of games we have had but we have a decent-sized squad and everyone is up for it.
“The game on Wednesday will be massive. It is a great chance to get a wee bit ahead if we can win.”
Swanson’s 73rd-minute goal, which was fit to grace any game, saw the wee man take a pass from David Goodwillie, run into space created by the decoy run of Jon Daly then shoot past keeper John Ruddy.
“Jon made a great run for the goal and he was reminding me of his contribution in the dressing-room after the game,” said Swanson.
Motherwell had been the brighter side in the 16 minutes before Dixon deservedly got sent off for his reckless challenge on Jim O’Brien, but United went on to manage superbly with 10 men.
“I don’t know if they thought it was an injustice,” said manager Houston.
“I think Dicker was slightly later as the two of them went to challenge for the ball.
“I could have brought Dicker’s sock up because it’s ripped right down the shin area.Honest guy”I’m not meaning Jim has gone over the ball because he is an honest guy, and we had him here, but I just thought it was the coming together of two players and Dicker is the one that got a straight red card.
“However, after that I just felt there were another few tackles that went amiss and there wasn’t a yellow card in the game, which surprised me a wee bit.”
The hosts took the lead on 38 minutes when Andy Webster’s downward header was helped over the line by Goodwillie.
Buaben made it 2-0 just before half-time when Ruddy failed to deal with a passback from Stephen Craigan.
The United man pounced, won possession then coolly picked his spot.
“It was just one of those days and it is a lonely place being a goalkeeper when something like that happens,” said Well number one Ruddy.
“The ball bobbled a wee bit, it hit off my toe and got away from me. But I am big enough and ugly enough to just get on with it.”
Motherwell manager Craig Brown agreed that Dixon’s ordering-off worked against his team.
“At 11-a-side we were as good if not better than United,” he said.
“The 10 should be an advantage to the team with 11, but we went down to 10 men against Falkirk and dug in, and you saw what Rangers did with nine men.
“I was very disappointed we didn’t cash in.”
It may have been the best, but it was also the toughest physically for Swanson.
“Personally, it was the hardest game I have played in,” he said.
“When they were passing the ball around it was hard work.
“Prince Buaben and Craig Conway were beasts — they ran up and down all day and put in a great shift.
“The manager told Prince at half-time he was playing really well and I thought he was immense in the second half.
“He really is playing out of his skin at the moment.
“With Morgaro (Gomis) not being fit you wondered what effect that was going to have on him because they play together so well, but Prince really stepped up to the plate.”
It doesn’t get any easier on United, with their latest test a midweek trip to Leith to tackle Hibs.
However, Swanson is confident they can cope with that challenge.Momentum”The lads have really dug in, the coaching staff are brilliant and everyone is so happy to be here,” he added.
“We have a bit of momentum now.
“People will be saying we will be tired because of the amount of games we have had but we have a decent-sized squad and everyone is up for it.
“The game on Wednesday will be massive. It is a great chance to get a wee bit ahead if we can win.”
Swanson’s 73rd-minute goal, which was fit to grace any game, saw the wee man take a pass from David Goodwillie, run into space created by the decoy run of Jon Daly then shoot past keeper John Ruddy.
“Jon made a great run for the goal and he was reminding me of his contribution in the dressing-room after the game,” said Swanson.
Motherwell had been the brighter side in the 16 minutes before Dixon deservedly got sent off for his reckless challenge on Jim O’Brien, but United went on to manage superbly with 10 men.
“I don’t know if they thought it was an injustice,” said manager Houston.
“I think Dicker was slightly later as the two of them went to challenge for the ball.
“I could have brought Dicker’s sock up because it’s ripped right down the shin area.Honest guy”I’m not meaning Jim has gone over the ball because he is an honest guy, and we had him here, but I just thought it was the coming together of two players and Dicker is the one that got a straight red card.
“However, after that I just felt there were another few tackles that went amiss and there wasn’t a yellow card in the game, which surprised me a wee bit.”
The hosts took the lead on 38 minutes when Andy Webster’s downward header was helped over the line by Goodwillie.
Buaben made it 2-0 just before half-time when Ruddy failed to deal with a passback from Stephen Craigan.
The United man pounced, won possession then coolly picked his spot.
“It was just one of those days and it is a lonely place being a goalkeeper when something like that happens,” said Well number one Ruddy.
“The ball bobbled a wee bit, it hit off my toe and got away from me. But I am big enough and ugly enough to just get on with it.”
Motherwell manager Craig Brown agreed that Dixon’s ordering-off worked against his team.
“At 11-a-side we were as good if not better than United,” he said.
“The 10 should be an advantage to the team with 11, but we went down to 10 men against Falkirk and dug in, and you saw what Rangers did with nine men.
“I was very disappointed we didn’t cash in.”
It may have been the best, but it was also the toughest physically for Swanson.
“Personally, it was the hardest game I have played in,” he said.
“When they were passing the ball around it was hard work.
“Prince Buaben and Craig Conway were beasts — they ran up and down all day and put in a great shift.
“The manager told Prince at half-time he was playing really well and I thought he was immense in the second half.
“He really is playing out of his skin at the moment.
“With Morgaro (Gomis) not being fit you wondered what effect that was going to have on him because they play together so well, but Prince really stepped up to the plate.”
It doesn’t get any easier on United, with their latest test a midweek trip to Leith to tackle Hibs.
However, Swanson is confident they can cope with that challenge.Momentum”The lads have really dug in, the coaching staff are brilliant and everyone is so happy to be here,” he added.
“We have a bit of momentum now.
“People will be saying we will be tired because of the amount of games we have had but we have a decent-sized squad and everyone is up for it.
“The game on Wednesday will be massive. It is a great chance to get a wee bit ahead if we can win.”
Swanson’s 73rd-minute goal, which was fit to grace any game, saw the wee man take a pass from David Goodwillie, run into space created by the decoy run of Jon Daly then shoot past keeper John Ruddy.
“Jon made a great run for the goal and he was reminding me of his contribution in the dressing-room after the game,” said Swanson.
Motherwell had been the brighter side in the 16 minutes before Dixon deservedly got sent off for his reckless challenge on Jim O’Brien, but United went on to manage superbly with 10 men.
“I don’t know if they thought it was an injustice,” said manager Houston.
“I think Dicker was slightly later as the two of them went to challenge for the ball.
“I could have brought Dicker’s sock up because it’s ripped right down the shin area.Honest guy”I’m not meaning Jim has gone over the ball because he is an honest guy, and we had him here, but I just thought it was the coming together of two players and Dicker is the one that got a straight red card.
“However, after that I just felt there were another few tackles that went amiss and there wasn’t a yellow card in the game, which surprised me a wee bit.”
The hosts took the lead on 38 minutes when Andy Webster’s downward header was helped over the line by Goodwillie.
Buaben made it 2-0 just before half-time when Ruddy failed to deal with a passback from Stephen Craigan.
The United man pounced, won possession then coolly picked his spot.
“It was just one of those days and it is a lonely place being a goalkeeper when something like that happens,” said Well number one Ruddy.
“The ball bobbled a wee bit, it hit off my toe and got away from me. But I am big enough and ugly enough to just get on with it.”
Motherwell manager Craig Brown agreed that Dixon’s ordering-off worked against his team.
“At 11-a-side we were as good if not better than United,” he said.
“The 10 should be an advantage to the team with 11, but we went down to 10 men against Falkirk and dug in, and you saw what Rangers did with nine men.
“I was very disappointed we didn’t cash in.”