Tannadice Park
Subs: Dillon, Graham, Watson, Dow, McCallum, Gomis and El Alagui
Booked: Robertson and Rankin
Subs Used: El Alagui, Gomis and Dow
Starting XI (St Mirren): Kello, Kelly, Naismith, Newton, McAusland, McGregor, Goodwin, Djemba-Djemba, Thompson, McGowan and McLean
Subs: van Zanten, Campbell, Reilly, Teale, Brady, Dilo and Morgan
Booked: Goodwin, Djemba-Djemba, Thompson and McLean
Subs Used: Campbell and Teale
My Man of the Match: Nadir Ciftci
photo;my man of the match, Paton and Armstrong
As soon as the game kicked off it was clear that this was going to be a tough game for both teams with Thompson and Armstrong taking early chances. These came to nothing though and it remained pretty equal for the first five minutes.
For the next five or ten minutes, it was mostly all about United with Armstrong having another shot at goal but again it was blocked. It was much of a passing part of the game and trying to get up the park. With St Mirren getting a corner at the 17 minute mark, United managed to get away from the goal kick and ran up the park with it to create a chance on goal.
Goal One Dundee United (Ryan Gauld, 21st minute): Ciftci makes a fantastic run past Djemba-Djemba. Cuts back to Gauld who tucks it into the far corner. This means that Dundee United take the early lead in this cup tie.
There wasn't much action to report on during the two goals. It was just a time for holding United's lead but St Mirren were pressing them as much as they could.
Goal One St Mirren (Kenny McLean, Penalty, 26th minute): A soft penalty call from St Mirren man McLean after being tripped up in the box by Wilson. McLean steps up to the spot and sense Cierzniak the wrong way allowing St Mirren to equalise.
As soon as play re-started, it began to become a United show for the next ten minutes with Rankin, Armstrong, Mackay-Steven and Ciftci all getting chances which were either saved or missed. During this period it was very full on the game with St Mirren giving away many free kicks for inexperienced tackles.
When the break approached it looked as if United were going to get another goal as they were looking like the better team, with Ciftci doing fantastically on the ball.
Half Time Dundee United 1 - 1 St Mirren
photo; Gauld going up for a header
The first half was very mixed with both teams having good chances on goal but it was Dundee United who took the lead thanks to Gauld but St Mirren quickly came back into it through a penalty scored by McLean, but they weren't able to take any chances from Dundee United they were just too powerful for St Mirren.
Dundee United were determind to take the lead in this game and this meant that the second half would start of very exciting for the United supporters with two corners coming in a row and the second one leading to a goal.
Goal Two Dundee United (Nadir Ciftci, 50th minute): A Wilson corner is sent into the box a St Mirren player gets his head on it but only as far as Paton who pulls it back to Wilson. Wilson passes it to Mackay-Steven, who crosses it into the box allowing Ciftci to blot his header past Kello. Giving United the lead once again.
Dundee United tried to get another goal so that it was comfortable for them, chances coming from Mackay-Steven and Robertson right after play re-started.
Goodwin tried to get St Mirren back into the game but his shot was just too high. This struck a series of shots from St Mirren with McLean and Thompson having shots saved by Cierzniak. However, United didn't let this bother them as young gun Gauld was goal bound but unfortunately his shot was blocked outside the box.
The rest of the match was equal again with both teams having a good amount of chances on goal but neither making any of them hit the back of the net. Both sets of defenders done well to keep the attack at bay. Gauld and Thompson stood out during this point of the game, with both of them trying to give each of their teams the goal that could change the whole game.
Full Time Dundee United 2 - 1 St Mirren
photo; both goal scorers
Overall, the game was very much of a Dundee United dominated game. It took an attempt from St Mirren to get Dundee United into the game. However, young gun Ryan Gauld put Dundee United up on the 20 minute mark through an assist from Nadir Ciftci. A softly given penatly saw Kenny McLean put St Mirren level with 20 minutes to go in the first half. United kept pressing and at the 50 minute mark Nadir Ciftci put Dundee United 2-1 up. The rest of the game was pretty equal however Dundee United looked a bit nervy in the final third of the pitch. Dundee United managed to keep a hold of their lead and booked their place in the afternoons draw
Attendance: 4,952
My man of the match was Nadir Ciftci as his ball work struck a bad chord for the St Mirren defence. He also executed the balls well and was up for making the game difficult for St Mirren. Nadir also has a brilliant link up play with fellow striker Ryan Gauld. Also both of his set up of the goal and his goal itself, were both executed well, this shows how he is able to set up goals and score them.
photo;Good in action
I would also like to mention John Rankin and Curtis Good. Both of these done well in their roles during the game. John managed to get into positions which would help the team get into spaces for them to recieve the ball and get up the park with it which in turn would help them create chances. As for Curtis, he has shown how much experience he has. His link up play with Souttar allows Robertson and Wilson to get up the park to help the midfield area while they stay back and make sure that everything is going well.
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