Dundee United 1-0 PARS

A BRAVE rearguard effort from 10-man Dunfermline ended in late heartbreak at Tannadice tonight as Dundee United consigned them to a late second half defeat.

After Nat Wedderburn was dismissed for a tackle six minutes before half-time, Athletic held out until the 79th minute when Simon Murray scrambled home the winner from a corner to leave the Pars frustrated and pointless.

It was a good defensive show from the visitors who were well in the game until Wedderburn’s red card brought what had been a tame first half to life.

Allan Johnston kept faith with the team that started Saturday’s derby with Raith Rovers but Ryan Williamson had to be withdrawn from his list of substitutes in place of Callum Smith after pulling up in the warm-up.

Dunfermline immediately started on the offensive with Nicky Clark forcing a second minute corner, which eventually fell to Andy Geggan inside the area but his shot towards goal was blocked.

In a decent start from an Athletic viewpoint, in which they passed the ball confidently about an excellent Tannadice surface, it took United almost a quarter of an hour to fire a shot in anger at their goal but Scott Fraser’s left-footer was off-target.

Simon Murray showed some neat skill in juggling the ball inside the box to try and fashion an opportunity but Lee Ashcroft timed his challenge to perfection before the Pars had an effort of their own.

From a United corner, Farid El Alagui sent Clark scampering down the right and, after cutting inside on his left foot, he sent a shot from the edge of the area on target but Cammy Bell was able to make a comfortable save.

Athletic forced plenty of corners throughout the opening period but their delivery let them down, as their set-pieces seldom found the head of a man in black and white.

The game, which had largely been unremarkable until this point, exploded into life in the 39th minute when the visitors were reduced to 10 men.

Wedderburn, who had looked assured in the centre of midfield beside John Herron, made a challenge on Tony Andreu and, with the home players erupting in protest, referee Don Robertson had no hesitation in issuing a red card.

The midfielder’s reaction to put his hands on his head suggested he knew what was coming and he trooped down the tunnel, leaving Johnston to re-organise his side ahead of the break.

Before then though, Sean Murdoch had to be alert to block well from Murray after he was played through on the right side of the box, but Dunfermline made it to the interval with the scoreline blank.

Joe Cardle was sacrificed at half-time as Johnston sent on Rhys McCabe in an attempt to stiffen up his midfield, with Clark dropping a bit deeper behind El Alagui.

In the 59th minute, Fraser had another chance after wriggling free and into space at the edge of the area and, although his effort left Murdoch standing, fortunately it landed wide of the keeper’s left-hand post.

Ray McKinnon made a double change in the 63rd minute, replacing Charlie Telfer and Tope Obadeyi with Cammy Smith and Nick Van der Velden, in a bid to up the tempo.

Dunfermline were struggling to see much of the ball but in a rare foray forward, Clark got his team up the pitch and a corner, but unfortunately United again were equal to the dead ball.

Still the Pars were defending well and a frustrated Willo Flood decided to slash a loose ball after McCabe had made another decent tackle towards goal, but his 30-yarder was well off-target.

Murdoch picked up a booking for timewasting as the game entered its final quarter and both Smith and Murray blasted efforts over the bar as frustration amongst the home crowd began to be heard.

Dunfermline almost snatched the lead in the 75th minute after a promising break between Higginbotham, El Alagui and Clark won them a throw on the left.

They worked the ball to Jason Talbot, whose flighted cross to the far side of the box found Higginbotham, whose right-foot shot was not too far wide of Bell’s goal.

Smith sent another one over for United from outside the box after being set up well by Fraser as the clock, slowly, ticked towards the final 10 minutes.

But there was late heartbreak for the Pars as, in the 79th minute, United finally broke the deadlock.

After Fraser again had been denied by a good save from Murdoch and a sea of Pars bodies blocking the rebound, Dunfermline couldn’t clear the corner and the ball fell to Murray at the back post to lash home from close range.

Paul McMullan was thrown on for Higginbotham with five minutes to go in a desperate attempt to chase an equaliser and in the final minute of stoppage time they came close.

Lewis Martin launched a high ball for Talbot, who knocked down to Clark, whose shot was hit with venom but saved by Bell to secure three points for the home side.

Dundee United: Bell, Durnan, Murray, Fraser, Obadeyi, Telfer, Edjenguele, Flood, Andreu, Van der Struijk, Robson.

Subs: Dillon, Donaldson, Toshney, Spittal, Smith, Van der Velden, Zwick.

Pars: Murdoch, Geggan, Martin, Ashcroft, Talbot, Higginbotham, Herron, Wedderburn, Cardle, El Alagui, Clark.

Subs: Paton, McCabe, Fordyce, Smith, McMullan, Moffat, Hutton.

Referee: Don Robertson.

Attendance: 5,996.