When a team of United`s character and capacity goes three games without a win or even putting the ball into the back of the opposition net, you can be pretty sure that the day will not be long in coming when some poor club is going to face the full fury of their wrath and take a right beating. In this case it was Ross County who were the unsuspecting victims of a resurgent United. OK it was not the full bifter of the full time professional team that bore the brunt, but their under 20s, an elite squad of talented youngsters selected for their potential to break into the ranks of full time professionals in the near future. They were well, organised disciplined and talented and did nothing wrong really beyond playing United on the wrong day. They started well enough to take an early lead and went in for the interval on level terms. It was not a case of them falling apart in the second half either but much more a case of United - having made a strategic tweak or two, finding form and confidence and producing a rampant display of attacking football that yielded five goals in little over half an hour.

The game began with County moving the ball about smartly enough to suggest that at that stage they had enough to cause United a problem or two. Any lack of confidence the younger team may have had was not readily apparent and would have dissipated quickly enough once they had achieved an opening goal - arguably against the run of play - although as early as the 4th minute that could not be fully tested, but that is all it took for the initially slick youngsters to get the ball to PATON and for him to convey it smartly to the back of the United net.

United have not been as prolific in the close season transfer market as they have in some previous seasons, but they look to have bought wisely and the first of these signings Ryan Stott formerly at Cove Rangers showed an impressive turn of pace before slotting home the equaliser little more than ten minutes later. As the half progressed it was clear that this was a strong United team that they had put out - possibly the strongest that their injury list would at this stage allow them. Gary Wood and Kieran Lawrence were drafted into defence where absences from Stuart Smith and Jevan Anderson were noted.

Gary Fraser started just behind MacPhee who led the line while Stott and Greig played a bit wider. It is less than surprising that United took some time to get into full flow which probably explains the discrepancy between first and second half performances. Even then, as the half progressed they became visibly slicker and the newcomers slotted in well. In the 25th minute, Stott set up Rodger to release a fierce drive from the edge of the box Keeper Munro blocked but could not hold the ball but it was scrambled to safety before predatory United attackers could pounce. 5 minutes later a Crawford foray forward took him to the box where his pass found Anderson who shot high. Ten minutes later the captain did get the ball in the net but Stott was judged to be offside at the time.

The second half saw Wood moved upfront to partner MacPhee with young defender Joe MacPherson slotting in at the back. The rout began soon after: less than 10 minutes in and a United corner was headed goalward by McPherson but was blocked in the goalmouth. RODGER was quickest to react and forced the ball over the line from but a yard out to put United ahead. Their tails were up, they had tasted blood and wanted more of it. The feeding frenzy got really going a minute or two later when Rodger found Wood who set up MCPHEE to sweep the ball home from near the penalty spot for 3-1.

In the 56th min a powerful charge by Wood through the inside left channel ended with his shot being blocked near the goal line. County were now finding United too hot to handle and in particular the combination of Wood and McPhee was the stuff of nightmares for their defenders. More goals were inevitable. On the hour mark, a free kick for United about 40 yards out was swung into the box by Anderson. McKeown, up for the set piece was brought down as he went for the ball. MCPHEE drilled the ensuing penalty viciously home well beyond the reach of Munro.

The match was well won by now but some fresh legs might well keep the pace of this high tempo hard pressing game going. Lawson and Gethins came on for Crawford and Wood and the feeding frenzy continued In the 70th minute. Burnett moved forward from defence to pick out McPhee and making a bit of space timed a perfect release to GETHINS who punched the ball low hard and left into the net for the fifth.

The young County side still had some spirit to them and with United committing most of their resources to attack they could find the odd gap to exploit (or attempt to) and in the 78th and 81st minutes Morrison and Paton (both times) got close enough to have a crack at goal. Each time keeper MacDonald made the save with a bit in reserve.

The final nail in the County coffin was hammered home in the 83rd minute. A pass of slide rule accuracy and precision was delivered by McPherson to BURNETT who took off like a scalded cat leaving defenders in his wake before getting into comfortable shooting range and firing the ball where Munro had no hope of reaching it.

This was a stunning return to form for United who by the time this game had entered its second period were firing on all cylinders. Injuries to Mackintosh, Henry, Smith, Jevan Anderson and probably some others may give some residual anxiety, but this performance and these resources augur very well indeed for the season ahead.

Match report by Colin Keenan



Photography by Ian Rennie

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