Amoment of inspiration from teenage debutant Brandon Forbes kept Dundee United’s Premier Sports Cup hopes alive.
Forbes, 18, produced a thunderous strike to beat Harry Stone just four minutes after entering the fray as a replacement for Kristijan Trapanovski. His maiden goal – and he’ll do well to score a better one.
That secured a precious three points for the Tangerines against Ayr United after Marco Rus had cancelled out David Babunski’s opener for the hosts.
But progression still hangs in the balance.
Courier Sport was at Tannadice to analyse the action.
Fearless Forbes grasps his opportunity
Several United academy kids have done their burgeoning reputations no harm in the last month.
Owen Stirton, who rattled the bar against Stenhousemuir in midweek, continues to shine as part of the senior group
Young defender Samuel Cleall-Harding is yet to make his debut but is understood to have impressed teammates in training with how comfortable he looks in the first-team environment.
But from this talented crop, it was Forbes who hit the headlines with a sublime winning goal on Saturday, capping a pre-season during which he has dazzled Jim Goodwin and teammates alike with his direct running and finishing ability.
As anyone who has watched United’s U/18s will attest – as outlined in Courier Sport’s analysis of United’s most talented kids back in May – Forbes’ penchant for the spectacular is well-established, with an ability to cut inside from the left and find the net.
However, it was his dead-ball aptitude that shone through against Ayr when he lashed a thunderous dipping drive past the helpless Stone from 30 yards, having illustrated bravado and belief to eve take on the shot.
Forbes is still at the start of his football journey, and it is important not to encourage any pressure – to temper expectations – but this truly was one of the most memorable introductions to a Tannadice teen in recent United history.
What next after Ryan Strain set-back?
Dundee United will be without Ryan Strain for a considerable period after the summer signing suffered a “significant” tear to his hamstring.
Goodwin is reluctant to put an exact time-frame on the player’s recovery.
However, we are talking months.
Vicko Sevelj occupied that role against Ayr United.
The Croatian did a job but doesn’t look like the long-term answer. He has only ever played on the right side of a back-four previously and, charged with providing width and pushing forward, he was out of his comfort zone.
The difference in efficacy between United’s left side, where Will Ferry was terrific, and right wing was stark.
You also lose Sevelj’s recovery pace in the back-three and ability to step into midfield – attributes he was brought to the club for – if utilised wide.
Miller Thomson could be the solution. He was excellent towards the tail-end of the Championship season for the Tangerines and, in truth, approached his right-back duties more like a wing-back, such are his attacking inclinations.
And Liam Grimshaw is the other feasible choice. Steady, diligent, professional and with 106 appearances in the Scottish top-flight under his belt.
Or United could dip into the transfer market. This is not a position that any of their remaining budget was earmarked for and, as Goodwin noted, “there is not a bottomless pit”.
However, if the right option is out there and the Tangerines can be creative, one suspects they would be interested in bringing someone in, such is the importance of the wing-back role in this formation.
Goals, goals, goals needed in the Highlands
United must target goals galore against Buckie Thistle.
All-out attack.
The Tangerines conclude their Group B campaign with a trip to Victoria Park on Tuesday night, with the reigning Highland League champions fresh from 4-0 and 5-1 defeats against Stenhousemuir and Falkirk, respectively.
United may require an even more handsome margin of victory if they are to avoid a fate that has only befallen one other club since this competition changed its format in 2016/17: finishing third in a section with nine points (St Mirren).
The remaining fixtures in the group are as follows:
Tuesday, July 23: Buckie Thistle v Dundee United; Stenhousemuir v Ayr United.
Saturday, July 27: Ayr United v Buckie Thistle; Falkirk v Stenhousemuir.
If those games are won by the respective favourites – and, of course, Stenny and Buckie will endeavour to produce shocks – then Falkirk, Ayr AND United will all finish on nine points and progression will come down to goal difference.
Currently, United are two goals better off than Ayr, but three adrift of Falkirk.
The Honest Men and the Bairns also have the benefit of going into Saturday’s final round of games knowing exactly what they need to finish above the Tangerines.
The team that tops the group progresses to the last-16, along with the three best runners-up – another reason for the Terrors to bolster that goal difference, because it is very possible that more than three second-placed sides will finish on nine points.
