QOTS 1 United 3

United came from behind to post a morale boosting win over one of their promotion rivals.

Dom Thomas fired the home side ahead but Thomas Mikkelsen levelled within three minutes and Matty Smith’s second half double deservedly earned the three priceless points which move the Club back up to third and within 7 points of Livi with three games in hand.

By Peter Rundo

After three weeks in deep freeze since the Livingston match, Csaba Laszlo made three changes to face the Doonhamers in the replay of the game that was abandoned just before Christmas. Paul Quinn, Thomas Mikkelsen and Matty Smith all started with Scott McDonald dropping to bench while Emil Lyng and Grant Gillespie missed out because of the artificial pitch.

First Half 

United in their all-black attire deployed a 4-1-4-1 formation and it was a cagey opening by both sides.

It took seven minutes before there was any goalmouth action of note, Stephen Dobbie firing in a grounder from 25 yards which Harry Lewis gathered easily.

But it was the Tangerines who almost drew first blood after 13 minutes.

Murdoch delivered a  long diagonal ball from which Mikkelesen hit a first time volley which home keeper Jack Leighfield only kept out with his feet.  

On 19 minutes, Stewart Murdoch was booked for a late challenge on former United favourite John Rankin.

Disaster struck after 21 minutes when United fell behind. Dom Thomas collected a loose ball on the right and cut inside a curl the ball into the top left hand corner from the edge of the box.

Queen’s lead was short-lived because three minutes later, Mikkelsen was on the end of a Matty Smith cross and his half volley on the turn from 12-yards went in via the underside of the bar.     

The hosts threatened again when Rankin hit a squiggler from 30 yards which forced Lewis into conceding a corner after 33 minutes.

From it Dobbie hit a low cross which Lewis did well to hold but that was the home player's last contribution because he limped off a couple of minutes later to be replaced by Ryan Fergusson.   

Four minutes from the interval, Lyndon Dykes saw yellow following an aerial challenge on Murdoch.

Thomas drilled a shot just past as Queens looked to regain the lead.

United were temporally reduced to ten men four minutes from the interval when Mark Durnan went off for attention to a head wound following an aerial clash with Fergusson. 

Second Half

United were back to full strength with the return of Durnan as the action resumed.

And with just two minutes gone United were ahead.

An intricate exchange of passes between King and Matty Smith ended with latter sweetly striking a right-footed shot into the top right-hand corner from 20 yards.

Robson then first timed a King pass high and wide of the goal as confidence in the camp grew.   

And that was enhanced on 57 minutes when the lead was doubled.

King’s corner from the left was headed back across goal by Quinn and Matty Smith applied the finishing touch.  

Durnan needed further attention on his head wound and returned after a couple with a distinctive red bandage.

Before his return, Robson became the second United booking for tripping Thomas.

Queens made a double substitution and as they pushed forward they were nearly caught on the break after 70 minutes.

Smith sent a long ball to Flood as he charged forward and Leighfield saved the day by tackling the attack.

There was an anxious moment for the Arabs in the crows with ten minutes left when the Doonhamers got the ball in the net.

Derek Lyle knocked in the rebound after Lewis had brilliantly palmed away Connor Murray’s  fierce drive.

But fortunately, the former Dundee striker was offside.

At the other end substitute Scott McDonald went down in the box only to be booked for stimulation.

Two minutes from time Matty Smith, with the goal at his mercy, was denied a hat-trick by Leighfield.

Summing up – There can be no question how important this win is and give a real shot in the arm towards achieving a second-place finish. It was a solid performance and the first time they have come from behind to win this season,  

Man of the match – Thomas Mikkelsen  was a candidate and forged hard up front and got the vital equaliser. But it was the man who provided the cross for it, Matty Smith, who takes the honour for also scoring twice.

Teams:

Queen of the South: Leighfield, Mercer, Fordyce, Brownlie, Marshall, Thomas, Jacobs, Rankin (Murray 63), Thomson, Dobbie (Fergusson 35), Dykes (D Lyle 63).

Subs not used: C Lyle, Cameron, Todorov, Beerman

United: Lewis, Murdoch, Durnan, Scobbie, Robson, Quinn, M Smith, Flood, Stanton, King (McMullan 82), Mikkelsen (McDonald 73).

Subs: Deniz, Edjenguele, Slater, Gillespie, Chalmers.    

Referee: Alan Muir

Attendance: 1480