Appearances & Goals To Date

Kevin Main (GK)		54 apps	-
Michael Clark		6 apps	2 goals
Craig McKeown		125 apps	19 goals
Wayne Mackintosh		53 apps	6 goals
Stuart Anderson		208 apps	34 goals
Andrew Greig		69 apps	24 goals
Graeme Rodger		190 apps	65 goals
Kieran Lawrence		65 apps	2 goals
Garry Wood		147 apps	73 goals
Scott Lisle		6 apps	4 goals
Gary McGowan		11 apps	5 goals
Stuart Smith (sub)		242 apps	23 goals
Liam Strachan (sub)		6 apps	-
Jordan Leydon (sub)		9 apps	1 goal

Starting Lineup

Matchday Squad

First Team Debuts

Milestones

The first twenty minutes of this game saw United at their absolute blistering best, racking up three stonking good goals and running the opposition ragged in the process. They eased off a bit until the interval but still dominated enough to stretch their lead to four. The game was well won by then and it looked like they knew that, but considered it achievement enough to justify taking things much easier in the second half where with one or two exceptions they gave every impression of doing little more than going through the motions. O.K, they have a busy 2 games a week schedule at present and some might argue that pacing the level of effort is prudent: others will respond that to take the foot off the gas in any game is inconsistent with the sort of ruthlessness needed to win championships.

Playing into a fresh wind and towards the Meldrum end, United went straight for the jugular breaking at pace through McGowan in the inside left channel to whip a fierce knee height ball across the 6 yard box. The advancing Wood was within a hairs' breadth of making the connection needed to divert it past Pennet. Pressure was sustained as Mackintosh advanced down the right flank to curl a ball that hung over the penalty spot while McGowan and Pennet challenged each other for it. The keeper got a paw to it but it took a fair wee stramash within the box before it was eventually cleared. Vale were on the rack and although it looked like they were set up in 3-5-1-1 formation they were forced into having 8 in the box most of the time as United pummelled them. Three minutes later with United's pace and movement almost mesmerising the visitor’s persistence paid off for LISLE with the second goal. A powerful run through the inside left channel took him past Aitken and Gauld before he was crowded out at the left corner of the 6 yard box. He had the nous to hang on in the area and seconds later the ball found its way back to him in a slightly more central position from which he drove it home past Pennet.

Still the United onslaught persisted and Formartine forced a number of corners each of which caused a measure of consternation in the Vale ranks. In the 13th minute, one from the left by McGowan was met powerfully by the head of CLARK who, virtually unchallenged, banged it into the net.

That was probably enough to win most home games and with that pressure reduced United's tempo dropped. It was so high that it probably had to anyway. Vale had the odd break into United territory through Archibald and Charlesworth but got no cuttance from the home rearguard. In the 42nd minute the game as a spectacle and a contest ended when CLARK again capitalised on slack defending to head home a cross by Greig after Pennet had flapped at it enough to almost place the ball on the big centre back's head

The second half produced little test to either side. United's tempo dropped but they still had the lion's share of possession and Wood went close a couple of times. So too, did Archibald on a break with Charlesworth before hooking his finish a yard wide. Another break, by Charlesworth and SCOTT earned a 76th minute consolation for Vale.

Match report by Colin Keenan



Photography by Ian Rennie

None.