St Mirren 0 - 2 Dundee United: Daly alert to race for third as United keep pace

Published on Sunday 30 November 2008 22:43

DUNDEE United goal hero Jon Daly admitted Hearts' shock win over Rangers brought an extra edge to their play at St Mirren on Saturday.

United went into their Love Street clash six points off third place in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League following the Tynecastle side's 2-1 lunchtime victory.

Daly helped cut the gap by heading home Willo Flood's cross in the 37th minute and converting a late penalty as United won 2-0.

The Irishman said: "Hearts in the early kick-off got a great result against Rangers, so we knew that three points was what we needed.

"I thought we started really well and when we got the goal we were dominating the game. The second half, we knew they would throw everything at us, and they were unlucky when they hit the crossbar.

"Then Craig Conway did brilliantly to win the penalty. I think Willo Flood wanted it but there was no chance he was going to take it. I stuck it away and it turned out to be a comfortable three points."

Manager Craig Levein made three changes following defeat by Kilmarnock and a last-gasp draw at home to Hamilton. Garry Kenneth and Michael Kovacevic came into the back four, with Darren Dods not even in the squad, and Danny Swanson replaced Conway in midfield.

The United manager was delighted with the outcome, especially as Kovacevic and Kenneth both stopped Andy Dorman with last-ditch sliding tackles.

"We took one point from our last two games," Levein said. "I felt at Killie we weren't great and last week we weren't 100 per cent, although it was a very difficult match. And also I had a suspicion that Craig Dargo and Dennis Wyness would play.

"I felt we needed a little more pace in the team. So Garry Kenneth and Michael Kovacevic came in and in the first half I was grateful Michael was there, because he is exceptionally quick and saved us from probably St Mirren going one up. It was a great tackle.

"We have been too open in recent matches away from home and suffered for it and it was good to get back to being solid."

St Mirren were left to rue missed chances as they tumbled to the bottom of the table. Stephen McGinn hit the bar from 12 yards, while Wyness and Billy Mehmet badly missed clear-cut opportunities.

Wyness has not scored for more than a year but manager Gus MacPherson vowed to stick by his strikers. "We can't turn around and say we'll find a better quality striker in January that's not wanted, and is better than the proven goalscorers that we've got in SPL football," he said. "We've just got to try to keep creating the chances."