Caley Triumph at Tannadice

There was a certain air of inevitability around Tannadice on Saturday as Inverness ended Craig Brewster’s hopes of leading Dundee United to a top-six Premierleague finish this season.

rewster is now without a win in his first five games in charge of United since leaving Caley Thistle, and to rub salt in his wounds, his former club are still looking in good shape to claim the coveted sixth spot before the league split.

n an action-packed first half, Charlie Mulgrew, United’s on-loan full-back, curled home two superb free-kicks and striker Lee Miller missed a penalty with his side one ahead. But Caley levelled twice, the first through Darren Dods and the second on the stroke of half time through Dennis Wyness.

espite the parity of the first half, the visitors enjoyed almost total control after the break, and turned their dominance into points with goals from Craig Dargo and Alan Morgan.

n a frantic start to the game, United almost scored after 60 seconds when Mulgrew’s long free-kick into the box found David Fernandez in space. He laid the ball inside for Miller but Mark Brown blocked his close-range effort. Chances followed at both ends, with Fernandez coming close with a lob before Thistle’s Richard Hastings saw a 25-yard shot saved by Derek Stillie.

ulgrew opened the scoring in the 18th minute when he curled a 25-yard free-kick round the wall and in off Brown’s near post. The keeper should have done better on that occasion, but he made amends minutes later, saving well from Miller’s shot. Miller was heavily involved in the proceedings, and he was handed a golden chance to get his name on the scoresheet when Ross Tokely hacked down Colin Samuel in the box.

eferee Stuart Dougal let the right-back off with a yellow card and the visitors had another reprieve when Miller’s penalty struck the post. The miss lifted the visitors, and they were level just three minutes later when Dods got free of the to head home Barry Wilson’s free-kick at the back post.

f Brown could have done better with Mulgrew’s first free-kick, there was nothing he could do but admire his second, as the on-loan Celtic youngster whipped a stunning effort into the top corner from 25 yards in the 40th minute. United would have been delighted to take the lead into half time, but it wasn’t to be as Wyness hammered home Hart’s cutback from the byline.

hat knocked the stuffing out of Brewster’s side, and they never recovered as Caley came out to dominate the second half, taking the lead in the 49th minute when Dargo bundled home from close range to set a new Premierleague record of scoring in eight consecutive league games.

nverness were working hard to close United down with the home side struggling to maintain any fluency going forward. Brewster must have been scratching his head as his side looked devoid of ideas, and substitute Morgan finished the game off with five minutes left with a cool left-foot finish from the edge of the box after Dargo had slipped the ball inside.

argo had a 20-yard effort comfortably saved as the visitors held on easily for Charlie Christie’s first win since being confirmed as manager.