Promoted Dundee United maintained their impressive start to the Scottish Premiership season as they secured a 1-0 win over St Mirren courtesy of Emmanuel Adegboyega’s winning goal.
It was far from a classic in Paisley as both sides lacked quality in an arduous affair and it seemed destined to finish goalless before Adegboyega became the hero on 75 minutes to leave United fifth in the table with 12 points from seven games heading into the international break.
The Norwich loanee was guilty of missing a brilliant chance to open the scoring in the first half but the centre-back atoned for his error with his first goal for United since his summer move.
A corner fell invitingly to Ross Docherty on the edge of the box and his powerful effort was parried by Ellery Balcombe into the path of Adegboyega to head home to send the noisy travelling support into raptures.
The winning goal arguably came against the run of play with St Mirren creating the better chances throughout with Jack Walton pulling off a wonder save to deny Caolan Boyd-Munce but the Saints lacked a cutting edge to frustrate the home support.
St Mirren raced out the traps from the first whistle and Richard Taylor executed an impressive acrobatic effort that sailed narrowly over the bar after just three minutes.
But the game descended into a scrappy affair with both sides well matched and there wasn’t another notable chance in the opening 20 minutes.
After Killian Phillips failed to get enough purchase on a cross for St Mirren, United should have taken the lead through Adegboyega on 23 minutes.
The defender found himself on the end of a flick-on from a free-kick but lacked composure and scuffed his effort into Balcombe’s hands.
United boss Jim Goodwin was clearly unimpressed with their first-half display as he hauled off striker Jort van der Sande for Glenn Middleton after 37 minutes in order to switch formation.
Goodwin’s tactical change to 4-3-3 made a difference as United started the second half in the ascendancy and they had a penalty claim for handball denied by referee Ross Hardie.
Despite United enjoying more possession and territory after the break, St Mirren forced the first meaningful save of the afternoon on the hour mark.
Boyd-Munce unleashed a rasping strike from 25 yards that seemed destined for the top corner until Walton pulled off a stunning fingertip save with Toyosi Olusanya sending the rebound wide.
St Mirren pushed for the opener as the second half progressed with Phillips curling an effort wide before Olusanya spurned a great opportunity by heading over from six yards.
After United broke the deadlock, St Mirren rarely threatened Walton’s goal with Taylor heading over late on encapsulating their wastefulness in front of goal.
Goodwin full of praise for Adegboyega
Dundee United boss Jim Goodwin:
“It probably shows he’s better with his head than his feet! I don’t know how he missed the chance in the first half and we said that with some not so nice words at half-time. That ball needed to end up in the back of the net, especially in such a tight game.
“You hope you’re going to get those sorts of opportunities from long throws and corners but that needs to end in a goal. We should’ve been leading at half-time and we said at the break that one goal would win it but thankfully we came out on top.
“Emmanuel is a young centre-back that is developing continuously and we’re working really hard with him. He’s got a great profile for a centre-back in terms of his size, physicality, pace and he’s comfortable on the ball despite a few loose passes.
“He’ll grab the headlines for the goal but that’s not what he’s in the team for. The whole squad have chipped in with goals throughout the campaign and we need everybody to contribute – hopefully the strikers will catch fire at some point.”
Robinson: We should have won
St Mirren boss Stephen Robinson:
“We had numerous chances to win the game. I can’t remember Ellery [Balcombe] having a save to make in the last four or five games. We didn’t react to the shot and we got punished but we dominated large parts and created.
“We just didn’t have that end product and if you don’t finish off then you leave yourself open to an error. I felt in total control of the game. I thought we were giving it some good energy.
“We maybe ran out some legs at 60 minutes but we’re getting players back which gives me options. We’re just in a moment where things aren’t going our way.”