Dundee United goal hero Billy King believes winning ugly might be the boost they need to salvage something from this season.
The Tangerines held on for a 1-0 win at home to St Mirren at Tannadice on Tuesday ngiht, simultaneously stopping the Buddies becoming champions and boosting their own chances of being in the play-offs.
United stayed in fourth spot despite what was arguably their best result of the season, with Dunfermline ahead of them in third on goal difference but having played a game more.
Csaba Laszlo’s men haven’t yet given up on second spot, however.
That is currently occupied by Livingston, who sit six points clear of them having played the same number of games.
The West Lothian side are away to St Mirren this Saturday, when you would expect the Paisley men to finally wrap up the title, and they also have to come to Tannadice on April 28, the final day of the regular season. United’s goal difference lags behind (plus five to plus 19) so they would still need Livi to slip up at home to either Brechin or Inverness.
In a nutshell, though, the runners-up place – and the two fewer play-off fixtures – is still a possibility for King and his colleagues.
He agrees and feels they can take momentum from what was a bit of an ugly win against Saints.
King, whose third-minute strike proved to be the winner, said: “The boys had a chat in the changing room after the game and we spoke about how that was really the first time this season that we have ground out a result.
“We showed a lot of fight out there.
“There was grit and determination and maybe those things have been lacking at times this season.
“It wasn’t the best game that we have played by a long shot but sometimes you need matches like that, where you have to grind out the victory.
“We know ourselves that we can play better football.
“We were decent enough at the back but attacking-wise we could have had a few more goals because we did have chances.
“There were we few times when we could have been through on goal but just could thread the final pass through.
“We are happy to take the three points and move on.
“This result can give us confidence going forward.
“If we show the same desire we can get wins in the games that are left.”
King admitted that stopping the St Mirren players celebrating on the Tannadice turf was a big incentive to beat them on Tuesday.
A greater motivation, however, was boosting their own promotion chances, albeit via the play-offs.
He said: “We spoke about it before the game because it was to do with our pride.
“We did not want St Mirren coming here, winning the league and rubbing it in our faces.
“So we did use it as motivation.
“But we also need points because we still feel we can still get the second spot.
“Matches have been slipping away from us in recent weeks but we have to turn the screw now.
“We have done it against the side that is at the top of the league so we must take confidence from that.
“We must kick on now.
“We have Falkirk coming up next and the last time we played them we lost 6-1 so there is another motivation to beat them on Saturday.
“We have to use everything we can to get the wins we need.
“We know we have a good squad but we have not been performing well enough. There have been too many mistakes.”
King actually grabbed United’s only goal in that embarrassing hammering at the hands on the Bairns on January 6.
That was the last time he found the net so he was relieved to see his left-foot shot nestle in the Buddies’ goal.
He said: “I saw wee Paul (McMullan) on the left and he kind of made half a yard to enable him to get the ball over to me.
“I had to stretch a bit but I have been determined to get into areas from where I can get goals and it worked out well for me.
“Over the past few months my goal return has not been great but the ball just fell for me this time.
“I didn’t think too much about it. I just tried to get it on target but I did catch it well.
“It was a great start for us and set the game up nicely.”
