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| Action from Motherwell vs Dundee United |
DUNDEE United boss Jackie McNamara was thrilled to secure their first win of the campaign with a late double at Fir Park.
The visitors edged ahead with just seven minutes remaining through a Louis Laing own-goal.
Sub Simon Murray sealed the three points against Motherwell as he rounded off a counter-attack deep in injury time.
McNamara said: “It’s important at any stage to win, we want to win every game. This game could have gone either way but we came out on top.
“I was pleased with the impact of my subs, they gave us good energy. Aidan Connolly caused a few problems and it was great for Simon Murray to get his goal.”
McNamara revealed United new boy Rodney Sneijder has returned to Holland after being laid low with a viral infection.
He said: “Rodney’s getting some tests, hopefully we’ll know more on Tuesday. He fell ill on Wednesday and went back home for tests on Thursday.”
Motherwell started brightly and Marvin Johnson was denied an early opener by a fine Luis Zwick save.
Johnson curled in a shot from the edge of the area but at full stretch Zwick plunged to his right to keep it out.
United grew into the game and with John Souttar controlling the midfield gained the upper hand and were unfortunate not to have the lead by the interval.
Only a marvellous save by Connor Ripley denied youngster Scott Fraser the opener on his first start for the Arabs.
Ryan McGowan put a cross into the area and when it broke to Fraser just outside the box he hit a rasping drive that was heading for the top corner until Ripley’s intervention.
United had a shout for a penalty when Blair Spittal’s corner hit Joe Chalmers on the arm but it would have been harsh as the limb was by his side.
Then just before the break Charlie Telfer saw a powerful drive beaten away by Ripley.
Telfer had a glorious chance 12 minutes into the second half when Kris Erskine played him in, but with just Ripley to beat the keeper turned his shot behind for a corner.
Seconds later Johnson was in on goal at the other end but Zwick blocked his goalbound effort.
Motherwell were now enjoying a period of pressure and Chalmers should have turned in Josh Law’s cross, but he diverted the ball narrowly wide.
Then from a Johnson corner sub Louis Moult looped a header back that Zwick had to tip over.
United made the breakthrough six minutes from time when Laing turned into his own net.
Aidan Connolly released Paul Dixon down the left and he fizzed in a dangerous low cross that in an attempt to clear Laing bulleted past Ripley.
Then deep in injury-time United countered following a last-gasp Motherwell corner to seal the win. Sub Robbie Muirhead released Connolly and he then played in Murray.
And with Ripley getting back from being up for the corner Murray kept his cool to net his first United goal.
Motherwell boss Ian Baraclough claimed the better team lost.
He said: “On the balance of play that was undeserved.
“I feel for our players, we were better than when we won at Inverness but we got nothing to show for it.
“I didn’t realise it was an own-goal until afterwards and I thought Louis was immense so that was hard for him.
“But when you do have a lot of the play but don’t take your chances you are always at threat of a counter and that’s what happened.”
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