Dundee United slipped five points adrift of Raith Rovers at the summit of the Championship after succumbing to their maiden league defeat of the season.
Dylan Easton scored the only goal of the game in sensational fashion to decide an even, nervy contest in front of a bumper Tannadice crowd.
Chris Mochrie, Louis Moult and Glenn Middleton all threatened for the hosts, but the Fifers held firm to move into the box-seat in the title race, albeit the Tangerines do boast a game in hand.
Courier Sport was there to analyse the action.
A lack of guile
United were not particularly good against Raith Rovers.
And vice-versa.
Barring a clawing save to deny the excellent Sam Stanton, Tangerines keeper Jack Walton had nothing to do all afternoon except pick Easton’s sumptuous winner out the back of his net.
Clear opportunities were similarly sparse for the hosts. Kevin Dabrowski made a couple of super stops to deny Moult and Mochrie from distance, while Middleton headed a decent late chance off target.
United registered more possession, shots, and shots on target. Their showing was not disastrous. But it was below the standards set for themselves during the first quarter of the campaign.
In recent weeks, United have lacked guile and creativity. The football has been stodgy. Little has come through the centre of midfield, barring a couple of ball-carrying surges by Mochrie. There is almost complete focus on the flanks.
On Saturday, countless crosses were chucked in from the left wing but no-one looked capable of finding a killer pass.
It was hopeful rather than incisive.
The probing of Ross Docherty, Declan Glass and Tony Watt – the latter only fit enough for an ineffectual cameo – was missed.
Mathew Cudjoe was the one man who did cut Rovers open, sending Moult haring through on goal, but Ross Millen produced a wonderful late block. The Ghanaian also teed up Middleton’s late header.
Goodwin is right to preach perspective.
It is a sole league defeat, United have a game in hand and, crucially, it is only December. Nevertheless, he will be working to reignite the clinical edge that has made United the top scorers in the Championship.
An unforgivable goal
Easton deserves his flowers for another magnificent solo strike; a special talent finally threatening to fulfil his undoubted talent.
However, from a United perspective, it was a criminal goal to concede.
Another wonderful goal from a special player but, from a Dundee United lens – a team that have, barring a couple of exceptions, defended really well – it's extraordinary that Dylan Easton was allowed to get a shot away from this receiving position, let alone score. pic.twitter.com/87toyABWe9
— Alan Temple (@alanftemple) December 17, 2023
Easton was facing the corner flag when he raced on to Stanton’s incisive pass.
Two men in Tangerine were hot on his heels.
That he was able to turn, shimmy, twist and unleash a shot from that starting position was extraordinary.
For a team that has – barring a couple of uncharacteristic outings – been excellent at the back, that will be a video nasty to revisit when Goodwin oversees the analysis this week.
While United’s quality in the final third left plenty to be desired, it was this defensive lapse that cost the Terrors a point; a point that would have ensured they’d reclaim top spot by winning their game in hand over Morton.
Pass it! Pass it! Pass it! GOAL!
Dylan Easton with the winner yesterday. pic.twitter.com/QIhNVEjniR
— Raith Rovers Football Club (@RaithRovers) December 17, 2023
Instead, Rovers are five points clear.
Another big occasion let down for United faithful
It would be unfair to hold the failings of last season over a new-look United squad.
The squad has been completely overhauled, there is a very different character profile in the dressing room and results, until very recently, have been excellent.
Nevertheless, irked Arabs will inevitably be nursing a sense of déjà vu this morning.
Another big occasion, another laudable turnout; another failure to deliver.
More than 10,300 supporters packed into Tannadice for the top-of-the-table showdown, bolstered by 2,000 Rovers fans in The Shed. But, like so often this calendar year, things fell flat.
The celebration of United’s 1983 Premier Division title triumph back in February saw St Johnstone run out 2-1 winners after Mark Birighitti inexplicably allowed Stevie May to slide-tackle the decisive goal over the line.
When 11,048 turned up for Goodwin’s dugout bow, Aberdeen won 3-1. There were 10,138 and 10,406 in the stadium for relegation crunches against Ross County and Kilmarnock: 3-0 and 3-1 defeats, respectively.
It has been a bruising 2023 on home soil for United when the biggest fixtures roll around.
Very different challenge
As Rovers boss Ian Murray emphasised after the victory, his players have held their nerve while doing the chasing.
Now it’s United’s turn.
🤩 What a team. What a support. pic.twitter.com/znU3LxlIUn
— Raith Rovers Football Club (@RaithRovers) December 16, 2023
There is very little room for error as they attempt to eat up the ground on the Fifers as, on current form, Raith don’t appear destined for a capitulation.
To quote their sporting director Andrew Barrowman, “this is not a run of form, this is a movement.”
For a team that has led the pack since match-day six, Goodwin’s charges must now contend with a fresh – and no less suffocating – pressure, starting with the trip to Queen’s Park on Friday night.
January reinforcements
Goodwin has made it clear that United have the means to strengthen in January and, given the Championship standings – and the likelihood that Rovers’ new owners will bolster their own group – they must.
The Terrors have a fine squad for the second tier, and it would be daft to deliver a damning assessment on the back of a wobbly couple of weeks.
However, injuries and suspensions are inevitable and United require an injection of depth and quality, particularly in attack, where Moult and Watt are Goodwin’s only senior options.
Rovers’ bench was considerably stronger than the hosts’ on Saturday and, while that was partly attributable to absences, the Tangerines must learn from the failings of last January and properly tool up for the run-in.
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