Jim Goodwin admits he was blindsided by Dundee United’s defensive display against Motherwell.
The Tangerines have been justifiably lauded for their stoic streak this term, but conceded four times in a seven-goal thriller at Fir Park.
The United showing was characterised by losing the midfield battle, failing to stop crosses at source and, when deliveries did arrive in the box, failing to deal with them. Completely out of character.
Apostolos Stamatelopoulos found the net twice – the first of which arrived within the first minute, affording a glimpse of things to come – adding to strikes by Andy Halliday and Tom Sparrow.
Sam Dalby is the Scottish Premiership’s top scorer after bagging a brace, while Louis Moult made it 4-3 in the dying embers.
And the three points see Motherwell leapfrog United into fourth spot.
“There aren’t too many teams with a better defensive record than us and I don’t think anyone saw that kind of defending coming,” said Goodwin.
“That can happen, and sometimes you get away with it – the opposition don’t punish you – but today we got punished and we’ll take our medicine.
“We have been given a lot of credit for our defensive displays. But unfortunately, there were a few individual errors; not making first contact; not picking up second balls. When you concede four goals in any game it’s very difficult to take anything from it.
“Motherwell did the basics better than us. They picked up a lot more balls in the midfield, especially in the first half, and they were more clinical than us.”
More VAR drama
United endured a nightmare start when Motherwell claimed the lead after 46 SECONDS.
A dangerous through-ball forced Declan Gallagher into a sliding challenge in the box, only for Marvin Kaleta to pick up possession and produce a ferocious low cross that was slammed home by Stamatelopoulos.
After three key VAR decisions went against the Tangerines last weekend – and a conversation with refs’ chief Willie Collum – it was perhaps inevitable that there would be more officiating drama.
It took just five minutes.
Moult hit the deck as he attempted to meet a Glenn Middleton cross under pressure from Liam Gordon. Referee Nick Walsh felt there was nothing wrong with the challenge in real time – but was urged to have another look by VAR Greg Aitken.
Following a trip to the monitor, Walsh pointed to the spot and Dalby made no mistake from 12 yards, nervelessly rolling the ball into the middle of the net.
Motherwell turn the screw
Another slack moment at the back afforded nippy ‘Well forward Tawanda Maswanhise – tormentor of the Terrors at Tannadice with a double in October – to fizz a low shot narrowly wide.
Stamatelopoulos flashed another effort off-target as the hosts turned the screw.
And Motherwell did regain the lead when a deep delivery by Kaleta found Harry Paton at the back post, with the Canadian showing fine composure to find Halliday for another close-range finish.
Things when from bad to worse for the Terrors when Maswinhise was allowed an unforgivable amount of space to clip a pin-point cross to the similarly unmarked Stamatelopoulos, who clinically headed beyond Jack Walton.
The goals keep coming
United needed a response after the break.
They got it when a Middleton cross was deflected high into the North Lanarkshire sky, allowing Dalby to tower above everyone – even Well keeper Oxborough – to nod the ball into the net.
Only a fine low stop by Oxborough stopped Dalby from completing his hat-trick when a lovely floating pass found the on-loan Wrexham man; a powerful header thwarted.
Further frustration was to come for the men in purple when Moult met a superb Middleton cut-back, only to see his unerring drive thunder against the crossbar via Oxborough’s fingertip.
But United’s pressure was to count for nothing when substitute Sparrow bustled through on goal and fired low past Walton to restore the hosts’ two-goal lead.
“The boys are adamant there’s a handball in there (by Sparrow),” added Goodwin. “I’ve not had a good enough angle to watch it back. We’ll see what comes of that. But we didn’t defend the box well enough all afternoon.”
No grand finale
Goodwin chucked everything at the final 20 minutes, with Kristijan Trapanovski, Jort van der Sande and Kai Fotheringham thrown on to join Moult and Dalby. Shape be damned, the bugle had been sounded.
And Moult headed home a Strain delivery to give the 800-odd travelling Arabs hope going into the dying embers. However, Motherwell held firm for a third victory over United this season.
“I can’t be too hard on the players,” added Goodwin.
“They have done really well to put us in the position we are in, and they never threw in the towel – even at 3-1 down. But it’s a disappointing result. We’ll take a lot of learnings from it.”
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