Jim Goodwin was left bemoaning the ease with which Rangers were allowed to inflict Dundee United’s first defeat of the season.
Tom Lawrence’s goal on 7 minutes was the difference between the sides after a competitive encounter at Tannadice.
Having fallen behind so early, the Tangerines quickly found their feet and enjoyed plenty of possession – if not clear-cut chances – as the game went on.
In the end, the closeness of the contest ended up emphasising Goodwin’s frustration over the cheap way his side fell behind.
“We’re disappointed to end our unbeaten run here,” said the United boss.
“I don’t think we can have too many complaints about the end result. Rangers definitely created the more clear-cut goal scoring chances, albeit the actual goal they scored is a very disappointing one from our perspective.
“It came from our throw-in at the beginning. We were wide open in the middle of the pitch and (Tom) Lawrence is able to drive through the middle.
“I think we have to have one of those cynical fouls, make a tackle, or do something to prevent him getting into our 18-yard box.
“It was a very good finish from him. But after that we had to change the shape. The shape wasn’t working at the beginning. But after we changed it, went to 4-3-3, I thought we were a lot better.
“The second half, I thought we were really good in periods. We had Rangers pegged back for large periods of the second half but again, like I said, with all of the better possession we had, we didn’t really create anything.
“(Kristijan) Trapanovski has one where we’ve hit them on the counter-attack and the ball wouldn’t sit down kindly for him, then there’s another where he cuts in and I think there’s a deflection where it goes past the post.
“But I can’t be too hard on the players. I thought they put a hell of a lot into the game – but a real frustration that we haven’t been able to take anything from it.”
Rangers started sharper and were ahead within seven minutes.
Lawrence was the man with the finish, collecting possession in midfield and powering through the middle of the retreating Tangerines defence before lifting the ball over Jack Walton into the net.
It was an opening that could easily have taken the wind out of United’s sails.
But from the re-start, Goodwin’s side, backed by a superb home support, began the work of playing their way back into the game.
Kevin Holt – so successfully deployed in midfield early this season – made way for Ross Docherty in a tactical switch just after the half-hour
And with the promise of Trapanovski’s drive, David Babunski’s unhurried footwork and Will Ferry’s engine coming to the fore after the break, the Tangerines headed for the dressing rooms in hope.
United retook the field with Vicko Sevelj on in place of Emmanuel Adegboyega, whose booking – plus VAR check – for a sliding challenge on Connor Barron, would likely have left him walking a tightrope.
Trapanovski came within a whisker of notching an equaliser on 55 minutes after cutting inside from the right, skipping to the edge of the box and firing a deflected effort just wide of the far post.
United were finding joy out wide and Ross Graham almost nodded home the goal United craved, rising highest to get his head to a Ferry corner.
But at the end of an even-tempered game that somehow contained 10 bookings, the Gers held firm, leaving United to lick the wounds of a first defeat of the season – and a first at home since March.
Conversation