Dundee United won the 125th Scottish Cup by, in the end, emphasising the gap between the middle of the 1st Division and 3rd in the Scottish Premier League. The first half was a sterile affair, with Dundee United finally shacking off their nerves towards the end of that half. Dundee United survived a spirited fightback at the start of the second half, only to score 3 goals through Goodwillie and Conway.The game started with both sides still struggling to overcome their nerves. Dundee United were going for their second Scottish Cup win in their first Scottish Cup final since 2005. They were overwhelming favourites against a Ross County side making their first Scottish Cup final appearance. However, as Dundee United legends will tell you, they were favourites in 1987 (against St Mirren) and in 1991 (against Motherwell). Ironically, United’s goalscorer when United won their only Scottish Cup (against Rangers in 1994), Craig Brewster, was on the coaching staff of Ross County.
Truth be told, this final didn’t really get going until pretty late on in the first half when United started to press Ross County back. County were pressed into a 4-5-1 shape during this game, unable to get either of their wide men forward. The fact that there were 3 men in the middle of the County midfield made it more difficult for United to break through in the first half. Danny Swanson should have scored with a break from midfield, but was caught in two minds. United did have a flurry of set pieces just before half time, before David Goodwillie broke from deep only being stopped by a county defender.
The second half started with United in a much more determined mood. Conway had a shot at goal, and Swanson had a difficult header. United took the lead with a catastrophic error from County goalkeeper McGovern. He raced out to clear a cross into his box, and headed it straight to David Goodwillie. From about 30 yards, he lobbed the ball over McGovern and 3 County defenders and into the back of the net. Dundee United now took control of the game, pushing forward for a second. Twenty minutes later United got that goal. A throw-in by United was not picked up by Country, and the ball was picked up by Conway, who sped past the County defence putting the ball under McGovern from an angle.United at this point were well worth their lead, they had hit their stride, while County who had stopped United playing in the first half now looked drained. The first goal in particular inflicted psychological damage on County. When United got the second, County looked as if they might seriously loose by 3 or 4. United did get a third, a Gomis cross from the left found Conway, who turned to his left and scored his second of the game. Within 5 minutes, United had won.
For United, it proved to be a good end for a turbulent season, losing Craig Levin to the Scotland job and seeing his assistant Peter Houston struggle in the first couple of games after Levin’s departure. United have come a long way since the heavy 7-0 loss at Ibrox, even knocking Rangers out of the Cup four days after their own League Cup win. While a new contract for Houston might well be in the offing now, all of a sudden some of their players will be on the radar of certain clubs. For Ross County, it won’t just be their players who will be on clubs wish list. For example, their manager Derek Adams is already touted as a possible replacement for Gus MacPherson.
This has been something of an Anis Horriblis for Scottish football, hopefully we can put this poor season behind us and move on.
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