Ruthless United take advantage of Fraser blips to seal third place

UNDER Peter Houston, Dundee United have reached a level of professionalism and consistency which makes them difficult to beat at the best of times. If you gift them two goals, as Motherwell did yesterday, the task becomes impossible.

Having availed themselves of those errors either side of a John Sutton goal in the first-half, United effectively wrapped up the win four minutes into the second-half. The three points ensure them of European football next season, and all but guarantee them third spot in the SPL, as they are now 12 points clear of fourth-placed Hibernian with four games to play.

Second place will probably be beyond Houston’s team, but Celtic cannot relax just yet. They are seven ahead of United, and although they can kill off the Tayside club’s hopes of becoming runners-up when they meet on Sunday at Tannadice.

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Motherwell are still just two points behind Hibs, so their hopes of qualifying for European football are still very much alive. They have now lost their last four games, though, and will be only a point ahead of Hearts should they lose at Tynecastle on Saturday.

For that losing run to come to an end they will have to tighten up considerably at the back. Goalkeeper Michael Fraser, in particular, will want to forget this game, having been directly responsible for the first United goal he continued to look insecure for the rest of the afternoon.

Motherwell got off to a brighter start than their opponents, and had the first chance of the match when Steven Saunders shot wide after Craig Conway had failed to clear. But they found themselves a goal down before United had even mounted an attack worthy of the name.

After United were dispossessed down their right, Stephen Craigan passed back to Fraser. The pass was accurate and not too heavy, but Fraser slipped and fell as he prepared to clear. He recovered to the extent that he was able to make a connection with his foot, but the ball ricocheted off Daly straight into the net. It was the 7,000th goal since the SPL began a dozen years ago.

Undeterred by going behind, Motherwell kept playing positively, and should have equalised midway through the half. When United failed to clear a corner from the left properly, the ball was put through to Mark Reynolds in the right channel but the centre-half pulled his shot wide of the far post.

The equaliser was only delayed, however, and came a few minutes later, when a corner again caused problems for the visitors, though this time in more orthodox fashion. Tom Hateley took it from the right, and floated the ball in towards the far post, where John Sutton rose above his would-be markers to head home.

Craigan was then forced off by a leg knock, and Motherwell reorganised by bringing Chris Humphrey off the bench to play at right-back, with Saunders moving in to central defence. Having got back on level terms they needed a period of stability before half-time, but instead went behind two minutes before the break.

Another poor clearance by Fraser led to the concession of a corner on the right. With Motherwell appearing to expect a delivery close to the goal-line, Conway instead drove the ball to Daly, who from around 12 yards out volleyed home his second goal of the afternoon.

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Having made the most of those unexpected chances, United began the second-half with far more self-assurance than they had shown at the start of the first, and within four minutes had increased their lead with a fine solo effort from Conway. Gathering possession tight to the left touchline midway inside the Motherwell half, the winger showed excellent close control to jink his way round two defenders, then shot low into the far corner.

Forced to commit more men to the attack, Motherwell left themselves perilously short at the back, and looked increasingly vulnerable on the break. Their perseverance brought a reward ten minutes from time, however, when Hateley made room down the right and crossed for Sutton to head his second.

It may have been a victory they barely merited, but there is little doubt United fully deserve to be best of the rest behind the Old Firm.