Dundee United maintain top-six aspirations after victory over St Mirren

Dundee United kept alive their slim top-six hopes with a 2-1 William Hill Premiership win over St Mirren at Tannadice.

The home side took an early lead thanks to a Marcus Fraser own goal with St Mirren substitute Jake Young netting just two minutes into the second half.

However, the Terrors secured all three points late on with Amar Fatah scoring from the penalty spot.

United are now nine points behind Falkirk in sixth while St Mirren remain 10th, just three points ahead of Kilmarnock.

The Terrors made three alterations to the side that lost to Motherwell on Saturday with Ross Graham, Fatah and Emmanuel Agyei replacing Ryan Strain, Julius Eskesen and Dario Naamo.

However, the big team news for United fans was the inclusion of Johnny Russell on the bench with the striker, who enjoyed a prolific spell with the club before leaving for Derby in 2013, having signed a short-term deal until the end of the season.

The Buddies made just one change to the side that drew against Livingston at the weekend with Roland Idowu coming in for Mikael Mandron, who was ruled out with a shoulder injury.

The hosts took the lead in just the eighth minute when Vicko Sevelj tested Shamal George in the St Mirren goal with a blistering shot. The keeper made a fine parry but as Fraser tried to clear, he inexplicably headed the ball into his own net.

The Buddies finally tested home keeper Ashley Maynard-Brewer in the 23rd minute but Dan Nlundulu’s shot from a tight angle was saved at the near post.

The visitors had a gilt-edged opportunity to equalise in the 39th minute when Fraser crossed from the right to skipper Mark O’Hara inside the United box but the midfielder sent his shot inches wide when he really should have hit the target.

St Mirren brought on Young at the start of the second half and he made an immediate impact with his first touch in the 47th minute.

A Scott Tanser free-kick from the left flew all the way through to Young and he sent a stunning strike high past Maynard-Brewer and into the top corner for his first goal for St Mirren.

The Buddies then came agonisingly close to netting again in the 65th minute when a Killian Phillips’ header crashed off the crossbar.

Instead, it was the home side who took the lead in the 83rd minute.

Alex Gogic was adjudged to have handled the ball in the box with referee Matthew MacDermid pointing to the spot. Following a VAR check, the decision was rubber-stamped with Fatah stepping up to hit an emphatic penalty past George.

Russell came off the bench and had a chance for glory late on but his free-kick cannoned into the wall.