Slip proves costly for United

There was disappointment for Dundee United in the Tayside derby as a bad mistake from goalkeeper Radoslaw Cierzniak gave visitors St Johnstone the points at Tannadice.

The Polish shot-stopper allowed Stevie May’s hopeful 30-yard effort to avoid his clutches early in the second-half for what proved the winner.

Leading marksman May previously scored a hat-trick when the two sides met at McDiarmid Park at the end of December. His latest strike increased his own personal tally to twenty-two for the season.

Both managers were dismissed to the stands as the hosts complained about a number of decisions while also having a couple of unsuccessful penalty shouts.

Saints enjoyed the better start with Gary McDonald heading wide and Cierzniak parrying from May, who next sent a volley over. However, left-back Brian Easton had to be replaced midway through the opening half because of injury.

The Tangerines threatened as Gary Mackay-Steven took the ball past goalkeeper Alan Mannus but Dave Mackay recovered sufficiently to block. Nadir Ciftci then struck tamely at the keeper.

But it was their opponents going in front just three minutes after the restart when Gavin Gunning lost possession and David Wotherspoon allowed May a speculative long-range effort that somehow went through Cierzniak.

His opposite number Mannus did much better with Ciftci’s header and a Ryan Dow shot before goalscorer May nodded onto the roof of the net. James Dunne also threatened for the visitors courtesy of a volley.

Back came United with Mackay-Steven driving too close to Mannus and substitute Farid El Alagui appearing to be bundled over inside the area.

Fellow replacement Ryan Gauld later struck wide and El Alagui was denied at close-range by Mannus, while a further penalty shout was ignored in added time as Mackay-Steven came under challenge from Wotherspoon.

Dundee United: Cierzniak, Watson, Dillon (Graham 85), Gunning, Robertson, Paton, Rankin, Armstrong (El Alagui 66), Mackay-Steven , Ciftci, Dow (Gauld 66)

subs (unused): Wilson, Souttar, Gomis, McCallum

St Johnstone: Mannus, Miller (Cregg 90), Easton (Clancy 21), McDonald, Mackay, Anderson, O’Halloran (Croft 83), Dunne, May, Millar, Wotherspoon

subs (unused): Hasselbaink, Brown, Iwelumo, Banks

Goals: May (48)

Ref: C. Allan

Att: 6,720