United 1 Linfield 0

Logan Chalmers shoots United into the Quarter Finals of the IRN BRU Cup.

By Alasdair Marnoch

The game started lively with both teams keeping possession and regularly going forward, desperate to be the first team on the score board. Sam Stanton got United off to a bright start, cutting through Linfield’s defence, getting the ball into the box with his shot from close range going just wide. 

Linfield came agonisingly close in the 17th minute with Mehmet needing to use his fingertips to pull off an excellent save but the linesman had already flagged it offside. They continued to surge forward, taking advantage of slip-ups in the United defence. 

In the closing minutes of the first half Matty Smith found some space on the edge of the box with a curling effort going over the bar. 

In the 65th minute Graham Taylor won the ball at the half way line and ran through a host of Linfield’s players; he subsequently passed the ball to an open N’Koyi who was fouled and brought down by a Linfield defender. 

Minutes later United registered their first shot on target of the game with a free kick from long range going straight into the keeper’s arms. Mehmet was put to good use in the 80th minute with a shot from inside the penalty box making him dive and catch the ball with both hands. 

A succession of nice passes from United in Linfield’s box ended with Graham Taylor bagging the closest chance of the game with his shot ricocheting off the post bringing the United fans to their feet. United squandered another chance just minutes later after Chalmers danced his way into the box but he was tackled just as he was about to shoot. 

United were all over Linfield in the closing minutes and the perseverance paid off with the ball falling to substitute Logan Chalmers after the keeper parried away an on-target effort from Taylor. Chalmers struck the rebound and took United into the lead and subsequently won United the game taking them into the fourth round.      

Summary: A youthful United side used their energy wisely and capitalised on the Linfield’s players' tired legs towards the end of the game. Linfield were the stronger team for the majority of the game and played a fair amount of decent passes forward, with unsuccessful crosses into the box letting them down.   

Man of the Match: Substitute Logan Chalmers changed the game for United. After a number of chances on goal he grabbed United’s only goal of the game in the final minute.

Dundee United: Mehmet, Murdoch, N’Koyi, Stanton, Allardice, Smith, Taylor, Ritchie, Hornby (Dailly), Thomas, Piggot (Chalmers) 

Subs not used: Donaldson, Glass, Reekie, Davidson, Appere

Linfield: Deane, Stafford, Robinson, Haughey, Waterworth (Stewart), Millar, Burns, Clarke, Mulgrew, Garret, Mitchell (Clarke) 

Subs not used: Moore, Lowry, Adams, Casement, Fallon

Referee: Iwan Griffith

Attendance: 1967