Danny Rogers was given a chance to impress Dundee United boss Tam Courts as Nicky Clark’s first-half hat-trick helped see off a battling Brechin City side.
Former Aberdeen and Kilmarnock keeper Rogers played the last half-hour of United’s win as Courts seeks a replacement for Deniz Mehmet.
Courts, who handed Benjamin Siegrist his first pre-season start, revealed earlier this week that Rogers had been offered training facilities by United.
However, while Rogers conceded within 60 seconds of coming on, he will be hoping to win a deal at Tannadice.
While Rogers will hope for further chances to impress, there were more than a few United players who caught the eye yesterday ahead of Friday’s Premier Sports Cup opener with Kelty Hearts.
Nicky Clark’s perfectly-executed hat-trick
Clark completed a 43-minute treble and Peter Pawlett looked on form as United distmantled Brechin in the first period.
Pawlett ran the show for United in an outstanding first-half display – setting up two and netting one.
It took just nine minutes for United to open the scoring with Pawlett’s quickly taken low corner setting up Clark to drill low beyond Brechin trialist keeper Jack Wills.
Pawlett was then the architect and finisher of the next goal on 20 minutes.
He linked up superbly with Liam Smith and Laurence Shankland to dart into the penalty box and coolly chip over Wills to make it 2-0.
Defender Mark Reynolds had a 20-yard effort saved by Wills before Clark met a Pawlett free-kick to send a looping header into the net.
Benjamin Siegrist, in for his first pre-season start, was only called into action once in the first period as he made a comfortable low save to deny Kieran Inglis.
And the visitors finished the first period in style with Shankland tripped by trialist Blerti Jacci and Clark stepping up to slam home the penalty.
Nicky Clark coolly converts from the spot to complete his hat-trick and make it 4-0 to @dundeeunitedfc v @BrechinCityFC pic.twitter.com/blExlQ3CJL
— Ewan Smith (@ewansmithpr) July 3, 2021
Danny Rogers’ first task is to pick ball out of the net
But Brechin were battling bravely and pulled a goal back on 61 minutes through Iain Davidson.
Davidson met a David Cox corner to head in off the bar and leave Rogers picking the ball out of the net with his first touch.
At the other end Wills produced a stunning fingertip save to turn over a 10 yard effort by sub Kai Fotheringham, with United running out comfortable winners.