Dundee United boss Jim Goodwin reckons Louis Moult will soon feel the effects of his astonishing overhead kick against St Mirren.
Moult was a shock inclusion on the Tangerines team-sheet in Paisley after suffering the impact injury against Motherwell on December 14. He is yet to even resume full contact training.
However, he made himself available for the outing against the Buddies after taking a pre-match numbing injection to his shoulder.
And magic Moult provided the defining moment of the contest with a minute of regular time left, flicking the ball up for himself in a crowded box and acrobatically beating Zach Hemming.
“We kind of wrapped Louis up in cotton wool on Friday,” revealed Goodwin. “He joined in with the group, but he was very much non-contact. The players were told not to go near him!
“He had an injection in his shoulder about two hours before kick-off to try and numb the pain, and he made himself available. That’s the type of character that he is. They are the sort of people that we want at the club.
“Louis comes on in those big moments, and he’s a natural goalscorer. The good strikers – their brain tends to work a little bit quicker than the rest of ours. He just recognised that situation and managed to pop the ball up into the air. Brilliant technique.
“I would imagine the shoulder he landed on would be pretty sore once that injection wears off! But it’s all worth it.”
Super Jack Walton in goal
That would not be the end of the drama.
There was still time for Toyosi Olusanya to dart into the United penalty area before hitting the deck as Kevin Holt attempted to nick possession.
Referee David Dickinson pointed to the spot and the VAR review saw no reason to call the whistler to the monitor.
However, Jack Walton plunged to his left to deny Olusanya, sending the travelling United fans into rapture.
It was the second massive intervention by Walton, who also thwarted Olusanya when the lightening striker was sent haring through on goal with the scores still level at 0-0. As the song goes, “Super Jack Walton in goal,” indeed.
“Credit to Jack in those two instances,” said Goodwin. “The one-on-one is a brilliant save. So is the penalty save.
“And Kevin Holt, I have to say, does really well to react as well and follow the ball in from the penalty and make the clearance.
“Both goalkeepers were in tremendous form, and it was going to take something special to win it. The goal certainly was.”
Explosive second half
St Mirren were comfortably the better side in a forgettable first period, with a wonderful goal-line clearance by Luca Stephenson required to deny Richard Taylor the opener when he met a Scott Tanser corner.
However, the game exploded into life at the break, with Vicko Sevelj seeing a goal disallowed for offside before Buddies front-man Mikael Mandron rattled the bar with a ferocious shot.
Glenn Middleton fired inches over following a sweeping move and Sam Dalby couldn’t beat Hemming when one-on-one with the Saints keeper.
The final five minutes were a cavalcade of United pressure, with Jort van der Sande unlucky not to open his account amid several stramashes inside the St Mirren box. The Tangerines just couldn’t force the ball over the line.
However, Moult and Walton’s heroics in the dying embers secured a crucial triumph.
It means United are three points ahead of Aberdeen in third place – albeit having played two games more at time of asking – and six points ahead of fifth. Indeed, the gap to second-placed Rangers is only four points.
“It’s a magnificent three points,” added Goodwin. “Our away form has been exceptional all season. We’re second in the league table in terms of points returned on the road behind Celtic.
“That’s credit to the group for their character. It’s not easy going away from home to hostile environments.
“Not only does it open up that gap between ourselves and St Mirren to ten points – but it also pushes us that little bit closer to Rangers.”
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