A SUBLIME piece of individual brilliance from Gary Mackay-Steven sparked an outbreak of spontaneous applause from fans on Saturday.
No surprise there except these fans were supporting Kilmarnock not Dundee United.
However, their reaction was perfectly understandable after witnessing an outrageous piece of trickery dubbed the GMS Juggle that even Lionel Messi would have been proud to call his own.
Mackay-Steven looked to be trapped close to the touchline in the first half but instead he cheekily balanced the ball on top of his foot, flicked it up and then headed it over two astonished Killie players before racing off towards goal.
It was even more incredible considering the 22-year-old was making his comeback after being out for almost two months following a broken hand suffered against Ross County in Dingwall.
He could have been forgiven for easing his way gently into things on his return in Ayrshire instead he proved the catalyst for a convincing United victory thanks to a “perfect” Johnny Russell hat-trick with Killie more than flattered by the scoreline.
The result, performance and return of “GMS” produced some much-needed cheer in a week which saw manager Peter Houston declare that he would not be renewing his contract and is set to leave the club in the summer.
Speculation continues to grow that he could be departing sooner rather than later but Mackay-Steven insists the players simply remain fully focused on finishing as high as possible in the SPL table.
He said: “I was surprised to last 85 minutes to be honest. But it was great to get that match time under my belt as we have a lot of games coming up.
“I was feeling a bit tired towards half-time but then we got a goal and I found my second wind. Overall, I felt fine but I will probably be a little sore in the morning.”
https://youtube.com/watch?v=RylZ370RsU0%3Frel%3D0
And the piece of skill that has had football fans across the country in raptures?
“I like doing my little tricks. I was just happy that it came off but it was a great team performance,” he said. “It is nice to hear that (Killie fans clapping). It was just something that happened. I don’t really practise these things in training but it is great when they pay off in games.
“The game is all about enjoyment and getting people off their seats and that is the way I try to play football. So I am happy that the Kilmarnock fans liked it too. Maybe things like that will bring some people back to the game.”
Mackay-Steven insisted that there is a real determination within the United squad to ensure that their manager’s imminent departure does not affect their performances on the park.
He said: “It was news to us that he was going to leave at the end of the season but the manager has said it himself that he is more determined than ever to do well this season and, as a bunch of players, we are as together as we have ever been.
“We want to get the results and help the club get another top-six finish. We are also more determined than ever and we will look to pick up as many points as possible in the games coming up.”
Mackay-Steven also paid tribute to Russell’s scoring contribution and believes the striker is deserving of a call-up when new Scotland boss Gordon Strachan announces his first squad this week.
He said: “You always think Johnny is going to score lots of goals in every game and today he got the perfect hat-trick with his right foot, left foot and a header. He had other chances as well so it is great and I am really happy for him.
“I think if he gets the nod when the Scotland squad is announced, he is good enough to be a success at that level. He has the full package as a striker. He can hold it up, he can run in behind and he has the skill to finish any chance.”
Mackay-Steven’s boss heaped praise on his players and insisted that, despite announcing he was leaving the club, it is business as usual as they try to secure a top-six finish.
Houston said: “I thought to a man every Dundee United player was very good. It was an important three points and was thoroughly merited.
“I said at the press conference on Thursday I want to focus on one thing and one thing only and that is the remainder of the season.It would be great for me and the players to get into the top six.”
Not for the first time this season, Killie boss Kenny Shiels gave his own unique take on a match. He said: “There was nothing in the game. Second half we were very good, in control of the game and dominant.
“In the last few months, Dundee United have had a lot of uncertainty about the club and you could see there was a bit of relief in their demeanour and attitude of their players. But by no means were they better than us.”
nrobertson@thecourier.co.uk