Clark double gives Dundee United all three points against Ross County in the Premiership
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Dundee Unted 2 (Clark x2)
Ross County 1 (Shaw)
Ross County did not pose much of an attacking threat as they lost out to Dundee United by a single goal at Tannadice.
A calamitous miscommunication allowed their hosts the chance to open the scoring from the penalty spot, which Nicky Clark happily took before doubling the advantage early in the second half.
Oli Shaw did give the Staggies some hope before the end, but overall County probably did not do enough to earn anything from the match.
The match looked to be set up nicely early on, with County having more possession but United set up to be dangerous on the counter attack.
As it was, the opening stages were mostly played in the home side's half, but they also looked the most likely to score.
It did not help that the Staggies were forced into an early defensive change when Connor Randall could not continue, with Tom Grivosti replacing him at right full back.
Peter Pawlett went close to scoring in the 15th minute, reacting quickly to flick Luke Bolton's low cross towards goal, but it ended up just the wrong side of the post.
County did have a couple of sights of goal themselves, with Ross Stewart and Charlie Lakin both forcing headers goalwards, but there was nothing to trouble Benjamin Siegrist in the home goal.
So when United went ahead in the 19th minute, County could have no complaints.
The disappointing thing for Stuart Kettlewell was that it could have easily been prevented, as Lakin and Iain Vigurs were both too hesitant to clear the ball inside their own box, and it instead bounced up on to the Staggies skipper's hand.
Referee Steven Kirkland pointed to the spot, which Nicky Clark coolly dispatchced out of Ross Doohan's reach.
United could, and arguably should, have made it two in the 25th minute.
A wonderful, free-flowing counter attack between Ian Harkes, Lawrence Shankland and Pawlett resulted in the former Aberdeen and MK Dons man pulling his shot just the wrong side of Doohan's post.
The half time whistle was a chance for the Staggies to regroup, but things only went from bad to worse and the first thing Doohan had to do after the interval was pick the ball out of his net again.
Pawlett chipped a central free kick towards Mark Reynolds, who saw his header blocked.
The United captain reacted first to the free ball though, forcing it goalwards, and Clark was on hand to get the final touch on it's way into the net.
Shots at goal proved to be a rarity, even though the intensity level of County's play did improve after the introductions of Harry Paton and Michael Gardyne.
All it takes is one though, and another substitute halved the deficit with just under 10 minutes left on the clock.
Oli Shaw had earlier replaced Billy Mckay, and he ran on to a perfectly weighted through ball from Charlie Lakin to slot past Siegrist and give the Staggies hope of a result.
It proved to be too little, too late for the Staggies though, as they could not find an equaliser to earn a point to take back up north to Dingwall.
