First Team
TEAM NEWS | PARTICK THISTLE (H)
3rd May 2024
The Dundee United Youth side were away today for their second match in four days as they faced Hearts in the SPL Under-19 League at Musselburgh. This was the last League game prior to the winter break and it will be 14th February before the restart against Rangers at home commences.
With a trialist in goal, United lined up with three at the back and a five-man midfield and two up front. The visitors faced a whirlwind start from a Hearts side that was unbeaten in their previous eight games, their last defeat being at the hands of United when Steven Craig (pictured) was the scorer with a late penalty. Elliot headed the home side in front with only four minutes played and then Hearts' advantage was doubled as Sives scored, also with a header.
The young Tangerines slowly began to get into the match and, as the half progressed, they were the better side. They earned a deserved goal two minutes from half time, when Steven Craig scored from the spot after Conway had been brought down by Hearts' keeper Windrum.
In the second half United continued to apply pressure to the Hearts goal and Bell was unlucky to fire over from a good position. Almost on the final whistle, Kenny Jarvis hit a superb shot on target but the keeper pulled off a top class save to deny the United player. From the corner which resulted, United's final chance for an equaliser met the head of Steven Anderson but his effort was cleared off the line.
Coach Tony Docherty was obviously disappointed not to take at least a point from the game and, in fact, he felt his side might have deserved all three points. After the match he said, "We had a sixteen-year-old trialist who did very well in goal and I can't find fault with him for either of the goals. I felt we were very unlucky today but I was pleased with the performance from the boys. An away fixture at Hearts was always going to be hard, particularly after the result against Celtic on Tuesday but the players showed a lot of character against a side which has put together a good run."
Trialist, Abbot (Jarvis), Easton, Hunter, Anderson, Gardiner, Robertson (Molloy), Bell, Conway, McDonald (Callaghan), Craig.
Subs Not Used : McCann, Smith.
With a trialist in goal, United lined up with three at the back and a five-man midfield and two up front. The visitors faced a whirlwind start from a Hearts side that was unbeaten in their previous eight games, their last defeat being at the hands of United when Steven Craig (pictured) was the scorer with a late penalty. Elliot headed the home side in front with only four minutes played and then Hearts' advantage was doubled as Sives scored, also with a header.
The young Tangerines slowly began to get into the match and, as the half progressed, they were the better side. They earned a deserved goal two minutes from half time, when Steven Craig scored from the spot after Conway had been brought down by Hearts' keeper Windrum.
In the second half United continued to apply pressure to the Hearts goal and Bell was unlucky to fire over from a good position. Almost on the final whistle, Kenny Jarvis hit a superb shot on target but the keeper pulled off a top class save to deny the United player. From the corner which resulted, United's final chance for an equaliser met the head of Steven Anderson but his effort was cleared off the line.
Coach Tony Docherty was obviously disappointed not to take at least a point from the game and, in fact, he felt his side might have deserved all three points. After the match he said, "We had a sixteen-year-old trialist who did very well in goal and I can't find fault with him for either of the goals. I felt we were very unlucky today but I was pleased with the performance from the boys. An away fixture at Hearts was always going to be hard, particularly after the result against Celtic on Tuesday but the players showed a lot of character against a side which has put together a good run."
Trialist, Abbot (Jarvis), Easton, Hunter, Anderson, Gardiner, Robertson (Molloy), Bell, Conway, McDonald (Callaghan), Craig.
Subs Not Used : McCann, Smith.
