Brechin City 2
Dundee Utd 6
League Cup (Sectional Tie - Group C)

Match Report

United travelled up the A90 for their opening League Cup tie of the season, facing a Brechin City side who were playing their first match since March due to the Covid closedown. With Lawrence Shankland and Logan Chalmers away on international duty, Paul McMullan and Louis Apere returned to the first team, with Mark Connolly and Adrian Sporle making way for Mark Reynolds and Lewis Neilson.

The home side started the brighter, with Deniz Mehmet forced into saves from Currie and Jimmy Scott, but United eased into the game with a Ryan Edwards header just wide before taking the lead in the 16th minute. Ian Harkes' shot was parried by McMinn, but Nicky Clark was on hand to score from close range. Just two minutes later a cross from McMullan on the right was fired home by Nicky Clark for his, and United's, second goal of the night. Brechin came back into it, with a Matty Todd effort coming back off the post and Mehmet gathering the rebound, and Ryan Edwards had to clear another Todd shot of the line after a mix up in defence. Cusick then blasted a volley over at the back post, just a couple of yards out. United however then went straight up the park and scored a third, with Calum Butcher shooting past McMinn from 25 yards.

Ian Harkes made it 4-0 just two minutes after half-time, slotting home after good work by Luke Bolton. Three minutes later, Brechin pulled a goal back, when Makovora as tripped inside the box and Kieran Inglis fired home the penalty. Having looked down and out a few minutes before, Brechin were now just two behind when Rory Currie converted a low cross just three minutes later. This forced United to up the tempo and on the hour mark substitute Cammy Smith scored the fifth from close range. To round off the night, Cammy Smith scored number six when he drilled home low from just ouside the box, in a match where manager Micky Mellon used as many squad players as possible.