New-look Dundee United looked good as they strolled to victory in the sunshine at Brechin on Tuesday night.
Playing what could be the only public friendly of their build-up to the new campaign, the Tangerines started with eight of their nine summer signings.
And all impressed as Csaba Laszlo’s men knocked the ball around well and breached the home defence on two occasions.
Encouragingly for the several hundred fans who chose to escape England’s World Cup win over Colombia and made the journey to Glebe Park, there was a cohesion about United’s play that probably no one had a right to expect so early in the rebuilding process that’s been undertaken since the disappointment of missing out on promotion at the end of last season.
What was apparent within a few minutes of kick-off was Laszlo has added strength and energy to his squad.
From a defence that was well marshalled by Frederic Frans to a front line led ably by Craig Curran, the team looked sharp and powerful.
Frans looks exactly the kind of dominant defender that was needed to replace Bilel Mohsni, who’d done so well during his short stay towards the end of last term.
And out wide Callum Booth showed his Premiership quality at left-back, while Sam Wardrop on the right did enough to suggest he will be an able replacement for his former Celtic youth team-mate Anthony Ralston.
In the middle of the park Austrian Christoph Rabitsch added bite, while ahead of him Curran and Nicky Clark showed good understanding for their first outing up front together.
Elsewhere, wide man Fraser Aird was first to show what he can bring to the team when he picked up the ball 40 yards from goal and jinked his way past several challenges before netting with a low shot.
That opener came with just seven minutes or so on the clock but already United were knocking the ball around in the manner their gaffer likes.
It wasn’t just about the new boys, however, and the few familiar faces in the line-up gave a good account of themselves.
Sam Stanton was his usual industrial self in midfield and used the ball well. Likewise, young Scott Allardice slotted in comfortably alongside Frans in central defence.
Originally a midfielder, he’s now impressed a few times in that deeper role and would certainly be worth another look there when the Betfred Cup group matches kick-off in under a fortnight.
Returning to the new faces, a clue who will be handed the goalkeeper’s jersey when the competitive action starts was perhaps given when Swiss Benjamin Siegrist was preferred to Slovakian Matej Rakovan in goal.
Siegrist was almost caught out when he was slow to field a pass back in the first half but, generally, looked sound.
Rakovan did come on for the second half and did nothing wrong but right now it appears he has work to do to be in the side when Arbroath are faced in that first Betfred tie on Saturday week.
While the game did fizzle out a bit in the second half, another boost for United was the appearance of James Keatings for the final 15 minutes or so.
The attacker’s first season at Tannadice was ruined by injuries but, if he can stay fit, he’s a player who can play a significant part in what lies ahead.
It was his shot with ten minutes left that struck the bar and went in off home defender Euan Spark for the second.
Keatings then struck the post with a clever curling effort from 16 yards out.
Had that gone in, the score would have provided a fairer reflection of United’s good work.
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