MATCH REPORT | UNITED REMAIN TOP DESPITE DEFEAT IN KIRKCALDY | Dundee United Football Club

On Friday 16th February 2024, Raith Rovers beat Dundee United 2-1 in the Cinch Championship at Stark's Park. They scored in the 10th minute thanks to Rudden and again in the 88th minute thanks to Brown. Dundee United managed to score a goal in the 39th minute thanks to Moulton, but it wasn't enough to secure a win.

Even though there were numerous opportunities throughout the game, the final shot by Scott Brown proved to be the decisive factor in the home team earning a triumphant victory.

For the game at Stark's Park, Jim Goodwin decided to switch up his team by making two changes. The match was crucial as it was between two of the top teams in the league.

After scoring a goal and setting up another previously, Tony Watt came back to the team as captain alongside Kai Fotheringham. Alex Greive was included on the substitutes' bench while Ross Docherty was not selected.

The coach decided to keep Ross Graham and Kevin Holt as the center-backs, and Sam McClelland sat on the bench as a substitute for the very first time.

Miller Thomson was brought back from his loan period and was included as a substitute in the game. Six players who graduated from DUFC Academy were also part of our squad on match day.

The first few minutes of the game were very intense, as both teams were playing aggressively near the areas designated for penalty kicks.

Zac Rudden put pressure on Jack Walton, causing him to make a quick save. Walton managed to deflect Rudden's shot, which was taken from a tight angle, to prevent a goal for the opposing team.

Not long after that, Kevin Dabrowski was needed to make a save on the opposite side of the field. United passed the ball smoothly to Glenn Middleton who received a perfect through ball from Scott McMann to get in the clear. Middleton then passed back to Watt who was waiting at the penalty spot. He shot the ball low towards the goal but Dabrowski was quick and made a good save, preventing the other team from scoring.

At the ten-minute point, the home team took the lead when Rudden scored by tipping Liam Dick's pass into the goal past Walton. It seemed like a lucky break for the hosts since Rudden seemed to be offside when the ball was passed to him.

The Terrors experienced greater happiness on the left side of the field. On this occasion, a pass across the field reached Louis Moult, but his shot missed the target by a little.

Josh Mullin had two opportunities to increase the lead for the home team. He missed the goal narrowly from a tricky angle as the ball bounced towards him. Then, he got a pass from Rudden, shot at the goal, and Walton made another excellent save.

The intense activity didn't let up as Moult scored a goal five minutes before halftime.

During the game, David Wotherspoon kicked the ball outwardly towards the corner. Graham used his head to kick the ball down while fighting off opponents, and Moult was nearby to hit the ball into the net from a short distance and make the scores even.

Louis Moult scored a goal in the game between RAIUTD and DUFC. The video shows him hitting the ball into the net.

We came really close to scoring our second goal shortly after, when the ball rolled over to Middleton, but Dabrowski reacted fast to limit the angle.

Sibbald received a warning during the last heated moment as a very intense first half was ended by the referee, Don Robertson.

The Terrors came out determined to show their worth, once again taking the offensive and successfully attacking on the left side.

Graham demonstrated a composed style of play while positioned in the rear, which gave him the opportunity to spot Watt in the midst of the field. Then, with a precise and quick touch, Watt nimbly maneuvered around the corner to reach Middleton. As he dashed towards the goalbox, Middleton's kick seemed like it would definitely create issues for the opposing team. However, it ended up being deflected behind for a corner kick, resulting in no points for either side.

After Wotherspoon facilitated the Rovers' midfield, he set up Watt near the edge of the box. Watt, our player with the jersey number 32, prepared himself with one touch before taking a shot with his less dominant, left foot that just missed above the goal.

Graham nearly scored a goal when he connected with Wotherspoon's freekick, but his header only managed to miss the far post by a small margin.

Towards the end of the game, the team playing at their own stadium got ahead once again thanks to a magnificent goal from Scott Brown. After the ball was kicked out of the penalty area, Brown calmly used his chest to control it before hitting a powerful shot into the upper corner of the net from a distance of 25 yards.

As the game was coming to an end, Holt desperately tried to get a tie by heading the ball from a close distance, which Dabrowski managed to save once again. However, unfortunately for Holt and their team, the home team ended up winning and getting all the points.

In tonight's #cinchChamp game at Stark's Park, #DUFC Manager Jim Goodwin expressed his disappointment with the final outcome. According to him, the team did not deserve to lose, and the only flaw was that they became too agitated after conceding a goal and falling behind 2-1.

The first team lineup for the game will consist of Dabrowski, Brown, Dick (who's the captain), Watson, Murray, Vaughan, Smith, Mullin, Stanton, Byrne and Rudden.

Possible rewrite: Let's take a look at the list of substitutes for our next football match. We have McNeil, Connolly, Matthews, Corr, Turner, Hamilton, Brown, Easton, and McGill. These players will be ready to come on the pitch if needed, providing fresh legs and different tactics to help us secure a victory. Of course, the manager will decide who and when to make substitutions, based on the flow of the game and the injuries or fitness of the starting XI. However, it's important for the substitutes to stay focused and prepared, both physically and mentally, so that they can make a positive impact when called upon. Sometimes, the substitutes can even become heroes, scoring the winning goal or making the crucial assist. Therefore, let's support the whole squad and trust that everyone will contribute to the team's success.

The initial team: Walton, Holt, Graham, Grimshaw, Moult, Wotherspoon, Sibbald, Middleton, Fotheringham, Watt (captain), and McMann.

Possible revision: Let's talk about some people, specifically Newman, McClelland, Greive, Tillson, Meekison, Mochrie, MacLeod, Cudjoe, and Thomson. These individuals could be colleagues, friends, family members, or strangers. They might share some common interests, values, or experiences, or have different backgrounds, opinions, or goals. They could be living in the same city, country, or continent, or scattered around the world. However, what matters is not who they are, but what they represent. They represent diversity, creativity, and resilience. They represent the human spirit that thrives in the face of challenges, opportunities, and changes. They represent the potential for connection, collaboration, and compassion. They represent a network of possibilities that awaits exploration, celebration, and transformation. So, let's welcome Newman, McClelland, Greive, Tillson, Meekison, Mochrie, MacLeod, Cudjoe, and Thomson as fellow members of our global community, and let's appreciate their contributions to making this world a better place for all.

We have returned to our hometown to play against Queen's Park at Tannadice next Saturday.

You can obtain tickets from this location!