Jim Goodwin concedes that the sight of Ryan Strain leaving the Tannadice turf on a stretcher put a dampener on Dundee United’s comfortable 3-0 win over Stenhousemuir.
United were much improved following their 2-0 defeat against Falkirk on Saturday, with Goodwin describing the display as “night and day” compared to their opening day Premier Sports Cup flop.
Louis Moult and Declan Gallagher found the net in the first half, both teed up by Kristijan Trapanovski, and the Macedonian winger completed the scoring after the break.
However, the evening was marred by Strain being carried from the field after slumping to the turf with no-one around him. A nervous wait is now in store.
“That (injury) was a major disappointment but it’s too soon to say the extent of the injury at the moment,” said Goodwin. “We just need to wait and see how it settles overnight and get it scanned; probably tomorrow (Wednesday).
“We’ll have a clearer picture of what it looks like after that – but the whole thing about pre-season is to get through injury-free, especially to key players, so that’s a major disappointment.
“But fingers crossed it’s nothing serious.
“It is muscle related. It looks like Ryan’s hamstring, so it’s not related to his injury last season. That was groin surgery and he’s fully recovered from that. He is a fit boy and had a good break.
“He’s been flying in pre-season, and it takes the gloss off the performance to be honest.”
Macedonian magic
Deploying an up-tempo approach that was sorely lacking in their 2-0 defeat at Falkirk on Saturday night, United almost claimed the lead with 50 seconds on the clock.
Trapanovski unleashed a ferocious, dipping drive after skipping past two Stenny challenges but Darren Jamieson made a sensational fingertip save to keep the scores level.
Moult fizzed a free-kick over the bar and David Babunski – excellent in the engine room mere hours after the arrival of the North Macedonia international was confirmed – fired a couple of shots narrowly wide of target.
Jamieson then made another super stop to deny Strain his maiden United goal following a sweeping passing move.
But United finally grabbed the breakthrough their dominance merited when Trapanovski showcased his dancing feet on the flank before clipping a wonderful delivery to the back post, powered home by Moult.
The tricky wide-man notched his second assist of the evening when his in-swinging corner-kick found Gallagher, whose sweeping left-footed finish was unerring from close-range; his first competitive goal for United.
Strain concern
Having provided for his teammates in the first period, Trapanovski got his own name on the scoresheet just three minutes after the break, converting a sumptuous Strain delivery following a Kai Fotheringham flick.
Goodwin added: “The supporters certainly liked what they saw. Trapanovski is an exciting one. He’s direct, positive and it’s not easy to find wide players now who are so attack-minded.”
However, the withdrawal of Strain cast a shadow over the remainder of the proceedings.
Fotheringham was denied by a point-blank Jamieson save, before substitute Owen Stirton rattled the cross-bar with an instinctive drive. Glenn Middleton was also thwarted by the busy Stenny stopper.
Goodwin added: “We are still a work in progress and players are getting used to each other. But that was a million miles better than Saturday, as anyone who watched that game would know. It was night and day.
“We won’t get carried away but that was far more of what we would expect from ourselves.”
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