Jim Goodwin has joked that Emmanuel Adegboyega is “better with his head than his feet” after the young Irishman recovered from missing a first-half sitter against St Mirren to bag the winner.
The on-loan Norwich defender was on the end of some harsh words at the interval after swiping at fresh air from three yards out following Ross Graham’s perfect header across the face of goal.
However, Adegboyega dusted himself down and emerged as the hero when he nodded home from similarly close range, instinctively following up on a Ross Docherty drive to spark bedlam among the travelling Arabs.
“Manny’s miss probably proves he’s better with his head than his feet,” laughed Goodwin. “I don’t know how he missed that ball. We said that in some not-so-nice words at half-time!
“That NEEDS to end up in the back of the net.
“In a game as tight as that, you hope you’ll get those chances and it should have ended in a goal. The game had got one goal written all over it and thankfully we came out on top.
He added: “Manny is a young centre-back who is developing continuously and we’re working really hard with him. He’s got a great profile – size, physicality, good pace – and he’s comfortable on the ball.
“He’ll grab the headlines for the goal and, although that’s not what he’s in the team for, our centre-halves have chipped in and we need everyone to contribute.”
A half of few chances
Goodwin made two alterations to the side that played out a 3-3 thriller against Kilmarnock a week prior, with Jort van der Sande and Vicko Sevelj replacing David Babunski and Louis Moult. The latter missed out altogether with a knee injury.
It took just 48 seconds for the Buddies to threaten, with Richard Taylor clearing the crossbar with a spectacular bicycle kick.
United created their most presentable first-half opportunity when a deep delivery by Ferry was nodded across the box by Graham, finding an unmarked Adegboyega. With the goal gaping, he swung at fresh air.
Roland Idowu, having a very watchable battle with Ferry on the wing, fizzed a low shot narrowly wide of Jack Walton’s right-hand post, before van der Sande was replaced by Glenn Middleton prior to the interval.
“We started 3-5-2 but Stephen (Robinson) caught us on the hop (by playing 4-3-3),” explained Goodwin.
“Ninety per cent of the time, St Mirren have a back five. That’s what we prepared for, and we had to adapt during the game and sacrifice Jort to put pressure on their full-backs.
“That did quell that passage for St Mirren a lot.”
Wonderful Walton
A soporific second half was illuminated by Boyd-Munce, with the Irishman unleashing a ferocious effort from 30 yards. Bound for the top-corner, Walton’s fingertip save was sublime.
Toyosi Olusanya could only head the follow-up into the side-netting.
It was the first save of note in the game. After an hour.
Olusanya, enduring an uncharacteristically quiet afternoon, then nodded over the bar from close-range as the hosts pushed for the opener. He would not add to his six goals for the season.
Adegboyega: Making amends
Adegboyega may have fluffed his lines in front of goal in the opening 45, but he made amends in style.
He showed the instincts of a veteran poacher to follow up on Docherty’s powerful shot from the edge of the box and, with Balcombe only able to parry, he headed into the net from six yards.
St Mirren huffed and puffed as the clock ran down – a couple of efforts drifted off target – but the stoic Terrors outfit stood firm and, in truth, never looked in danger of being breached.
Goodwin’s charges go into the international hiatus in fifth spot in the Premiership and still unbeaten in the league away from home. That includes victories at Hearts and in Paisley. Not too shabby.
Character, desire and heart
The Tannadice gaffer added: “I don’t need to guess what the last game on the highlights will be – it’ll definitely be that one!
“It was very scrappy.
“But we took lot of learnings from last weekend’s 20 minutes after half-time (conceding three goals) when we didn’t do the basics well enough.
“A lot of the work was on team shape, being defensively solid and standing up to the challenge of what a difficult team will throw at you.
“The players deserve the credit. You can change the shape but you can’t put that character, desire and heart into the group. That has to come naturally.
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