Jackie McNamara backs keeper Michal Szromnik

Michal Szromnik has endured a tough start. Picture: SNS

The 21-year-old let in two soft goals during a 2-0 debut defeat by St Johnstone on Saturday.

With fellow Pole Radoslaw Cierzniak again rested because of a thigh strain, Szromnik retained the goalkeeper’s jersey for Tuesday night’s Scottish Premiership meeting with Dundee United.

But he only lasted five minutes before bringing down Marley Watkins and earning a red card. Cierzniak could not prevent Greg Tansey scoring from the spot when he came on but United fought back for a 1-1 draw thanks to Ryan McGowan’s first goal for the club.

And McNamara feels Szromnik can use the baptism of fire to build up his character.

McNamara said: “It’s the same as any other young kid. He is a young goalie with a big future. It’s the same as young Aidan [Connolly] starting – they make mistakes.

“Saturday was a good learning curve for him and this was similar. Obviously I would rather he had rounded him and scored the goal but he has tried to get it, made a decision to come.

“But he will learn from it. That’s how you learn and that’s how you find out if you are good enough to play at this level and handle the demands. He added: “I’m delighted with Rado coming in. I anticipated he would start on Saturday for the Partick game. We wanted to give him two games’ rest with his thigh and put Michal in to see if he could handle it. Unfortunately it was a game and six minutes.”

Referee Calum Murray dished out two red cards and eight yellows as United came from behind to prevent Caley Thistle moving ten points clear of them in the Scottish Premiership top four.