Kilmarnock 3
Dundee Utd 2
League (Premiership)

Match Report

Rankin and Paton came into the midfield for this match as United looked to build on the good Cup win at Stranraer the previous weekend. United would be eager to improve on their last visit to Rugby Park where they lost 2-0.

There was a whirlwind start to this match and after early pressure John Rankin won a penalty courtesy of a clumsy Alexei Eremenko tackle. Nadir Çiftçi stepped up to slot the penalty low into the Kilmarnock goal, giving United an early lead. Killie didn't wait long to hit back and in the ninth minute Manuel Pascali nodded down a free-kick into the path of Josh Magennis whose first time shot rolled in to level the game. United responded in the best possible way with Henri Anier opening his United account. A reverse pass from Chris Erskine was controlled by the striker before he fired home. United almost had another when Paul Dixon’s looping delivery was fumbled by Samson but cleared off the line by Pascali.

It was Kilmarnock who were doing all the pressing early in the second half and it paid off. Obadeyi played a accurate pass into the box for Chris Johnston who managed to bundle the ball under Cierzniak and into the back of the net. A thorn in the United defence all afternoon, Magennis almost scored his second with ten minutes remaining when his half volley curled just wide of the target. At this stage United would have been happy with a point from this game but that hope was snatched away with the last kick of the ball. A combination of Rankin and Dillon brought down Paul Cairney on the edge of the box. Up stepped Sammy Clingan who fired in a powerful strike that flew in between the confused Cierzniak and Dillon on the goal line.

Manager's Comment:
“"We lost a bit defensively with Callum Morris at half-time. I don't think we coped well enough at the back with the physical presence, especially in the second half. I thought that showed in the end. The second half we were far too deep, with losing our main two centre backs it really showed. The three goals we lost were very poor to say the least and to concede a free-kick like that for the third goal was pretty disappointing."

Fan's Comment:
“We have to go back to the 1st of November since the last clean sheet in the league. It is starting to feel like we need to score 2 goals just to have some hope of a point. Hoping when Dixon and McGowan are fit, things will tighten up at the back. This was another 3 points lost at a bottom six away ground. It has happened so often now that any flickering hope of a title challenge has now been extinguished. With a run of three home games coming up we have the chance to push for Europe.”

Match Photos courtesy of Riki Grauer - More photos available at:
Dundee United Official Flickr Page