Dundee United manager Robbie Neilson has rubbished the idea that there is any complacency settling in at Tannadice after the club drew against a dogged Alloa side last night.
The draw means United have stretched their lead to 18-points at the top of the Championship but they have also not won in their last five games. Neilson,
however, was insistent there has been no easing off on United’s part as they canter their way back to the top flight.
“This is a hard place to come,” he said. “Alloa have won three out of their last six and alongside side us are the form team in the league. People
expect us to come here and win, but the important thing is we got another point on the board and put pressure on the other teams. We’ll just keep plugging away.
“We dominated the game and I’m disappointed we didn’t get all three points. We are sitting in a good position in the league. Teams are going to come up against us and sit in and look to us to break them down. I thought we played well, we got the ball wide but it was just that final ball. I thought we
totally dominated the game.”
There was little of note to get pulses racing across the entirety of the 90 minutes.
Lawrence Shankland, deployed as one half of a front two with Rakish Bingham making his debut for United, was involved in two early opportunities as he aimed one early effort over the bar and followed that with a header which went in the same direction.
If it felt like an early promise of what was to come it soon faded.
United pressed and harried; Peter Pawlett ought to have done better after driving forward from the flank before unleashing a tepid left-foot effort that was easily collected by Alloa keeper Kieran Wright. Calum Butcher screwed one
effort wide of the target but encouraged by United’s failure to find a breakthrough, the hosts grew into the game as it went on.
United dominated the bulk of the game but without ever really troubling a well organised Alloa side. Indeed, a form table for the last six league games would have placed Peter Grant’s side second top alongside United with three wins, two draws and just one defeat from their last six games.
The point they have taken from last night’s encounter against the league leaders heaps more pressure on Partick Thistle with Alloa now having a three-point cushion over the Firhill side.
And Grant believes there is enough character in his side to get them out of trouble and keep them in the Championship. Neilson had suggested that Alloa would be the happier of the two teams with a point, but Grant was having none of it.
“I think United showed us the utmost respect with the team they played – they played three central midfielders to stop the opposition playing, which is very unusual when you’re as far ahead as they are,” he said.
“I think Robbie will be delighted with a point. The team he picked was one where he was making sure he wasn’t getting beaten.
“They’re a tough side, very well organised but we thoroughly deserved a point for the guts and determination we showed. These guys left everything on the pitch. We’ve a good group and that bodes well.”
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