Dundee United target one last crack at Aberdeen

ASSISTANT manager Simon Donnelly is hoping Dundee United’s desire to put one over on Aberdeen can help them claim all three points in Tuesday night’s clash between the two clubs at Tannadice.
Simon Donnelly: Seeking home win. Picture: SNSSimon Donnelly: Seeking home win. Picture: SNS
Simon Donnelly: Seeking home win. Picture: SNS

Inverness CT 1-1 Dundee United

Scorers: Inverness CT - Christie 7; Dundee United - El Alagui 71

This season’s Scottish Cup finalists can no longer catch the Dons in second place after being held to a 1-1 draw by Inverness in the Highland capital, where Farid El Alagui’s close-range finish cancelled out Ryan Christie’s early header.

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Even third place looks beyond the Arabs now, who are six points behind Motherwell with just two games to play, although they do have a superior goal difference.

To catch the Steelmen, however, United must overcome Aberdeen – a task that has been beyond them in the three previous meetings between the pair this season, but one that Donnelly hopes can change.

He said: “We had a great game with Aberdeen at Pittodrie a few weeks ago and I think 1-1 was a fair result. We have not managed to beat Aberdeen yet this season, so we want to put that right. We can’t catch them now, but it would be good to get a victory.”

Caley Thistle manager John Hughes was delighted with the performance of 19-year-old Christie during Saturday’s draw and feels the youngster, who was recently called into the Scotland Under-19 squad for a training camp, can make a real impact next season.

He said: “I thought Ryan was the star of the show against Dundee United. He’s in the team on merit and has deserved his place in the side. He will only get better the more game time that he gets.

“We will get a good pre-season into Ryan with a view to him getting a regular starting slot next season.”

Hughes questioned referee Brian Colvin’s decision to allow Dundee United’s equaliser to stand. Hughes believed United merited a point for their efforts after the interval, but he thought his goalkeeper Dean Brill had been fouled in the build-up to the visitors’ leveller.

He said: “The first 30 minutes we were good. We controlled the tempo, showed good ball retention and scored a good goal. However, it was all Dundee United in the second half. Did they deserve something from the game? Yes, 100 per cent.

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“But the way they got the goal was disappointing as I thought we should have had a free-kick as the boy jumped into Dean Brill. For me, that’s a free-kick.”

BT Sport Q&A: Rangers | Hibs | Neil Lennon

THIS week’s BT Sport video Q&A looks at whether Rangers fans will buy season tickets and if the club’s supporters will force a change of ownership.

The form of Hibs under Terry Butcher is also examined following the Easter Road side’s derby defeat while the future of Neil Lennon is also considered following the announcement that his assistant Johan Mjallby is to depart at the end of the season.

Email your Scottish football question for the BT Sport panel to answer. The next show will be recorded on May 7 after St Johnstone v Celtic, which will also be shown live on BT Sport, with the video available on The Scotsman website the following day. You can also tweet us @TheScotsman.

A line-up of experts will handle your questions after each BT Sport game. Most match days, the team includes Darrell Currie, Derek Rae and Gary McAllister.

Over this season, BT Sport will air 30 SPFL matches plus 10 Rangers games from the SPFL League One.

• T&C We can not guarantee which presenters will answer your questions. Questions are vetted and no correspondence will be entered into.