Defensive mistakes cost Ross County dearly as Niskanen strike seals victory for Dundee United
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Dundee United 1 (Niskanen)
Ross County 0
First half errors cost Ross County dearly away at Dundee United as they lost 1–0 at Tannadice.
County gave the ball away far too many times, and eventually they were punished by Ilmari Niskanen – although he may well be thanking Ashley Maynard-Brewer for the goalkeeper's part in the goal too.
Early on United were clearly trying to play the ball over the top of County's defence for attackers to run into space, while the Staggies were attempting to get the ball up the pitch as quickly as possible before getting the ball down and passing it around.
Even then, the most likely route to opening the scoring for either side seemed to be mistakes in the visiting defence at Tannadice.
First Jack Burroughs gave the ball away to Ian Harkes just inside his own half, putting himself in a two-on-one situation with the United man and Ilmari Niskanen. It was the latter who took a shot at goal, but Ashley Maynard-Brewer made a good save.
It was very nearly the same story minutes later when Jack Baldwin turned possession straight over to the opposition, this time with Dylan Levitt going forward and shooting wide.
County did get into the final third themselves on occasion, and the closest they came to scoring in the first half was after Jeandro Fuchs slipped in the middle of the park and the Staggies moved forward with a crisp counter attack.
Moving the ball quickly, it eventually fell to Harry Clarke to shoot, but Benjamin Siegrist made the save – even if not particularly cleanly.
United would make them pay for that miss just after the half-hour mark, and rather than a mistake in defence it was County's goalkeeper with his head in his hands.
Baldwin's poor header did start the move, but Maynard-Brewer really should have saved Niskanen's shot which instead bounced off the Aussie and into the net.
County somewhat lost their way after that, but he got some redemption before the half time whistle went, denying Fuchs with another shot from distance which Blair Spittal returned in kind with a curling effort that went wide of the mark.
The momentum remained United's way in the second half, even though Jordan White was brought on in place of Regan Charles-Cook in an attacking move by Malky Mackay.
Nicky Clark will feel like he should have extended the hosts' lead when he took his eye off a terrific cross by Scott McMann, before County went up the other end and Joe Hungbo hit the post trying to go across Siegrist.
Hungbo went close again with another effort that took a deflection on its way just wide of the woodwork, and Clarke rose highest to meet Spittal's delivery only to head over from close range.
Just as County lost a step towards the end of the first half, it looked like United were having a quiet spell in the middle of the second.
Spittal got a second opportunity to send a delivery into the danger area at a corner, picking out an unmarked White who could only head straight at Siegrist.
The Staggies did get the ball in the net with just under 10 minutes left to play with a great finish by substitute Dominic Samuel, but the offside flag went up to preserve United's lead.
That was the closest they would come to an equaliser, though, as their winless streak in the Premiership continued ahead of the international break.
Dundee United: Siegrist, Mulgrew, Niskanen (Appere 73), Pawlett, Clark, Eswards, Levitt, Freeman, Harkes, McMann, Fuchs.
Subs not used: Carson, Sporle, Chalmers, Hoti, Mochrie, Smith.
Ross County: Maynard-Brewer, Baldwin, H Paton, Spittal, A Samuel (Callachan 73), Iacovitti, Charles-Cook (White 46), Burroughs, Clarke, Tillson (D Samuel 79), Hungbo.
Subs not used: Laidlaw, Cancola, Robertson, B Paton.
Referee: Don Robertson
Attendance: 6548
Yellow card: Dundee United – Pawlett (34), Siegrist (64); Ross County – Baldwin (77).
